A Doncaster woman is planning to walk from Sheffield Weston Park Cancer Hospital to the Jasmine centre at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, to raise money for Firefly charity.
Andi Keats, 57, a controller for a forklift truck company plans to solo walk the 24 miles from Sheffield, through Rotherham to Doncaster on 3 May 2026.
“The whole experience, while it was horrible and awful, and radiotherapy is horrible, it was different and everybody was looking out for everybody.”
Keats was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2025, and had to undergo radiotherapy at Weston Park Cancer Hospital, which was effective.
She said: “So I thought, this charity is a vital link for people, so if I can give a little bit back, and I’m well enough to do that.
“It just made sense to link the two hospitals that I’d had the treatment with.”
Firefly is a registered charity that provides free transport from volunteer drivers, for cancer patients through South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire.
Keats says she hopes the money she raises for Firefly will help them to expand the fleet of minibuses they use to transport patients.
Keats said: “They find out all the times of your appointments, and they make sure that they schedule their runs around that, so you’re not rushed, you’re not stressed.
“They’re just so nice, they’re so caring and nothing’s too much trouble.”
She is currently planning her walk to avoid the M1 and big roundabouts in Rotherham and also taking a more scenic river route through Sheffield.
She spoke to me about her most recent training walk: “My legs were killing me at the end of it, but that’s nine miles, so it’s getting towards halfway, and I’ve got a few months yet to build it up.”
Keats said her diagnosis stopped her in her tracks and she will feel elated with herself when she completes the walk.
“I would encourage anyone to go for regular testing, the lads to go for the prostate and the ladies to go for the mammograms and the smears.
“Just a few minutes of discomfort, it could save your life.”
A link to her GoFundMe can be found here.