Adventurer of the Month – Laura McDonald

I have always fundraised for the NBCF in the past, holding biggest breakfast events during October each year and attending other events.  I attend these events in honour of all the survivors of breast cancer and those who have not been so fortunate.  As women, we need to look after each other and do what we can to find much needed cures and less invasive medical procedures for those diagnosed.

A huge highlight for me was how my friends and family rallied around me to support and encourage me to raise my funds.  I held a number of small events, but believe it or not my biggest fundraising success was selling chocolates and snacks.  I set up a ‘tuck shop’ at my work where I sold cans of drink, packets of chips and chocolates.  From just chocolates alone I raised about $2,000! I luckily had the support of the people I work with to keep them supplied with sugary treats.

When I signed up to trek the Great Wall of China, my biggest challenge was that I was not fit enough to take on such an adventure.  So ten months before the trek, I changed my lifestyle completely, began eating healthy and increased my exercise.  I started seeing a personal trainer who worked on building up my strength in both legs and upper body.  I would walk up and down 17 flights of stairs every day at work just to build my muscle tone. On the trek in China, it was hard physically, but my determination saw me complete all 5 days on the wall.

I have realised that if I can manage to trek The Great Wall of China for 5 days, then I can do anything!

I met some amazing and inspiring people in China, everyone was willing to help out and everyone got along together.  Our tour guides and Inspired Adventure’s Team Leaders also kept the team together and kept everyone motivated. Oh, can I also mention that The Great Wall of China was a pretty damn impressive thing to see? I liked that I got to see sections of the wall that the every day tourists would not normally bother to go and see.

Become our Adventurer of the Month to win a $100 Paddy Pallin voucher

Take a picture whilst on your adventure or when you’re training and use the hashtag #IveBeenInspired and your adventure hashtag. The most exciting use of the hashtag, with an adventure, and fitness focus will be our Adventurer of the Month – it’s that easy!