CONQUERING the 65-mile Isle of Wight Challenge is the next charity fundraising project for County Press journalist Kate Young.

The event, which is organised by Ultra Challenge and takes place next weekend (July 10-11), will see hundreds of runners, joggers and walkers tackle a 106km (65-mile) loop of the Isle of Wight.

Kate loves walking and has previously completed the full Walk the Wight on more than a dozen occasions. Since she took up running in 2016, she has done numerous marathons too.

She completed the 32-mile first half of the Isle of Wight Challenge in 2019 and enjoyed it so much that she immediately decided to enter again - but for the full route next time. 

She did her 2019 challenge in aid of the Wessex Cancer Trust, but this time she is taking part in the popular annual event in aid of the UK Sepsis Trust.

She explained: “I was hospitalised with sepsis at the beginning of April and my experience made me realise that few people understand what sepsis is - a life-threatening condition.

“Luckily the team at St Mary’s Hospital treated me swiftly and I have made a decent recovery.

“I already knew of the work of the Sepsis Trust, which raises awareness of sepsis to help prevent deaths – so I decided to dedicate my 2021 Isle of Wight Challenge attempt to them and do some fundraising on their behalf.”

Isle of Wight County Press:

Kate modelling her Sepsis Trust vest, ahead of next weekend's Isle of Wight Challenge.

Sepsis is the acute bodily reaction to infection. Symptoms initially present as flu-like but the person can rapidly deteriorate. Sepsis can cause brain damage or loss of limbs and it can also prove fatal.

Sepsis accounts for 48,000 deaths annually in the UK, that’s more than breast cancer, bowel cancer and prostate cancer put together.

Kate, 46, lives in Newport and is community content editor on the County Press, as well as editor of Isle of Wight Living. She grew up in Cowes and has been on the County Press for 25 years.

She added: “Even though many Islanders know me as a runner, I am expecting to walk most of the challenge route, as having been ill with sepsis in April, I have missed huge amounts of training.

"But having done the first half in 2019, I know roughly what is involved and fingers crossed, I can do the whole challenge this time!"

Click here to sponsor Kate, or see her fundraising page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/county-press-kate

Are you an Islander taking part in the 2021 Isle of Wight Challenge? If so, we would love to hear your story! Click on the submissions box below to tell us more!