Introduction to Colin’s Walk
In 1988, when he was just 22, Colin Skinner set off on foot from the ancient burial sites of Scotland, with a tent and backpack for company, and one simple goal in mind: to raise awareness of hospices. Eleven months later he crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, having walked over 6,000 miles across Britain, Canada and the United States.
On this epic journey he collapsed from heat exhaustion at 105º, crossed the Rocky Mountains at 30º below zero, and then walked through the heart of Death Valley. Avoiding rockfalls and avalanches, he snowshoed over Tioga Pass, at 10,000 feet in the Sierras, to reach San Francisco.
On the way Colin visited 70 hospices, where he encouraged hospice staff to carry out their essential work in bringing compassionate care to people with life threatening illnesses. In those 6,000 miles, Colin met people with AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses. What kept Colin walking was seeing the help that hospice could bring to these people.
That was all more than 20 years ago. Now, in 2009, he is set to do it once more, in memory of his mother, Monica Pickford, who died from pancreatic cancer, at the age of 59, in 2003. Colin has written a book, called Beyond the Setting Sun, about his incredible journeys. The book has an introduction by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, renowned Polar explorer. Colin will donate proceeds from the book to hospices in the U.S. and Canada
As Colin walks from New York to North Dakota, he will give talks and interviews to radio, television and newspapers along the way. To learn more about Colin, visit his personal Web site. To order “Beyond the Setting Sun”, email Colin at colin@nationalhospicefoundation.org.
