Nayaab Iqbal, aged 21 from Headington, has signed-up to take part in Helen & Douglas House’s Great Wall of China Trek taking place from 27th October to 4th November in memory of her brother Haider. Nayaab is appealing for others to take on this amazing challenge to raise money for Helen & Douglas House to fill the few spaces they have left on the trek.
Haider was born five weeks prematurely with a rare, life-threatening condition called Raine Syndrome. Throughout Haider’s life and now after this death in December 2012 aged 12, Helen & Douglas House supports Nayaab and her family. They have helped Nayaab’s parents, her younger brother and Nayaab herself through counselling, support groups and activity days and still are 5 years after his death.
They first visited Helen House when Haider was just 8 months old and he had just left hospital after his birth and it was also the place where he took his last breath.
Nayaab said “I always look back at the times when I was younger and would play in the Helen House garden on the bikes, while Haider would be sat cracking jokes with the staff and other children. He truly lived his life to the full, enjoying every moment and taking us on his incredible journey with him, with laughter, love and joy. On Haider’s last day, Helen & Douglas House were so accommodating to our beliefs and made what was the hardest time for us, somewhat better.”
“They became like a second family and I can honestly say I don’t know what we would have done if it wasn’t for the support and care of the incredible staff at Helen & Douglas House. Although there were many downs in Haider’s health and our lives, there were also massive ups which are the memories that we cherish now and look back on and remember with so much love.”
“When Haider died everything suddenly seemed very empty without him and the past few years have been the hardest ever but Helen & Douglas House have helped us through this. I really want to take some time now to give back to Helen & Douglas House and everything they have done for us and I thought what better way than to jump straight in the deep end with trekking the Great Wall of China! I can picture Haider laughing at the thought of this already(!) but I know he loved Helen & Douglas House and he would be so happy about this.”
If you would like to sponsor Nayaab you can go to her Just Giving Page
Stretching over 5,500 miles the Great Wall of China is a remarkable feat of construction and architecture with a history spanning more than 2000 years. The wall, the longest human-made structure on the planet, is located in the North of China and crosses vast deserts, barren plains and snow-capped mountains.
This amazing trek will take the Gubeikou to Simatai route, which features some of the most stunning views of the wall and the surrounding rolling hills. Across 5 days Lucy will take on 50km of this iconic man-made structure trekking through remote villages and towns and meeting local people along the way. The terrain will be mixed, from undulating paths to demanding steep, uneven steps. This adventure will finish with a visit to the famous Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, giving you an insight into city life in China today.
Interested in taking part in this amazing trek? Sign up today and raise money for Helen & Douglas House.
Sign up to our Great Wall of China Trek