Debra McLean walked 24 hours around Mount Maunganui to fundraise for Waipuna Hospice. Photo / George Novak
Debra McLean walked 24 hours around Mount Maunganui to fundraise for Waipuna Hospice. Photo / George Novak
Putting one step in front of the other was the winning ticket for Debra McLean to complete a 24-hour walking fundraiser at Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
It comes as Debra commemorated the six-month anniversary of her husband's death and celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary on Sunday.
Her late husband, Phil,was the reason for the walk. At the end of his life, Phil spent the final 24 days cared for by Waipuna Hospice.
Debra wanted to give back to the charity by walking around the base track of Mauao and the surrounding streets. She formed a figure-eight loop for the entire 24 hours – pulling inspiration from the important numbers and milestones in their life together.
"There is a wave of emotion given today being our anniversary," Debra said after the event.
"I'm feeling okay, and I'm mobile, but the body is definitely fatigued. But overall the biggest thing I am feeling is proud."
Phil and Debra McLean on their wedding day, August 8, last year. Photo / Supplied
Phil was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in October 2018.
After spending a Christmas together surrounded by their friends and family in 2020, Phil began to deteriorate. However, he was able to stay at home, as he wished, thanks to the help of Waipuna Hospice.
On February 8, after a courageous fight and on their six-month wedding anniversary, Phil lost his battle with cancer.
Debra said it was Phil that kept her walking early Saturday morning when she was halfway through the event.
"About 2am I had to dig deep because I realised I was halfway there and I still had another whole half to go. But on the last 5km was when I really had to dig deep and find another level.
"It was just one foot in front of the other."
Debra McLean making it over the finish line after 24 hours of walking. Photo / Supplied
The walk was just as much a healing process as it was a fundraiser, Debra said.
While putting one foot in front of the other, was in part a metaphor for the last six months of Debra's life, she also had a coach to get her through those tough moments.
"A lot of it was a mental battle. I am quite driven so I knew I had the mental ability to do it, but when you are actually doing the event is when the mental side takes over.
"It wasn't about the pain it was about the mental state of overriding the pain."
In total, she walked 104km after starting at 2pm on Friday. This was in addition to the 700km she had already walked in training for the event.
"So I ended up doing just over 800km all up - that's the length to Wellington."
Debra hoped to raise $8000 and on Sunday had raised more than $6400 on her Givealittle page. The fundraiser will remain open for another two weeks.
"It doesn't sound like much, in the grand scheme, but it will help to provide people with the support and the service that we had in those final stages."
Debra McLean wants to give back to Waipuna Hospice after it cared for her husband in the last 24 days of his life. Photo / George Novak
Waipuna Hospice fundraising executive Ella Pollard said it was hard to comprehend what Debra had achieved.
"We rely heavily on community funds and this really goes a long way in supporting other people in the community facing end-of-life care."
Pollard said the organisation had to raise over $4 million every year.
She was also there when Debra crossed the finish line with a band of supporters, including her children.
"What is lovely about Waipuna Hospice is it is a community organisation and you could see through her walk the community had come to support her, in the walk, and in her journey of losing her loved one."
