A MONTH after her second operation to remove a brain tumour, Calstock student Josie Alderton joined her mother on the last leg of her 128-mile charity walk. The 23-year-old trainee doctor was fit enough to accompany her mother, Karen, on the last two miles of her trek along the North Cornwall coast. Karen Alderton, a 54-year-old supply teacher, has so far raised £4,600 for the Samantha Dickson Research Fund (Astrofund) which helps brain cancer sufferers and their families. She increased her fundraising target from £3,000 after an overwhelming response from the public. Josie, who underwent an awake craniotomy under local anaesthetic in June, walked for two miles in the middle of the trek and again from Sennen Cove to Land?s End. Doctors warned Josie the operation could leave her paralysed as the tumour was close to a part of the brain that controls movement. Mrs Alderton said Josie still had a strange feeling in her left side and only time would tell whether it would feel completely normal again: ?She is recovering well and she is walking so that is fantastic.? Josie, who has inspired people with her bravery and positive attitude, hopes to return to her studies in October and plans to get married next year. Apart from some blisters two days into the trek, Mrs Alderton said the two-week experience had been great. She said: ?I am really pleased I did it and it gave me something else to think about when we were so concerned about Josie?s surgery. ?It has done some good for the charity and that is brilliant.? Donations to Astrofund can still be made on the Just Giving website http://www.justgiving.com/karenalderton">www.justgiving.com/karenalderton
