Paul’s long trek in memory of dear uncle

Paul’s long trek in memory of dear uncle

7 October 2015

A POPULAR Newcastle vet who passed away in March following a short battle with cancer has been honoured by his nephew through a fundraising pilgrimage.

Twenty two year-old Paul Adair raised £3,618.92 for the Friends of the Cancer Centre by undertaking the 800 kilometre trek along El Camino de Santiago de Compestela in Spain.

He did the month-long walk in memory of his uncle James Drayne who was just 54 when he died.

Having considered the walk for some time, Paul said the passing of his uncle, a man he describes as a “larger than life character”, prompted him to finally sign up for the challenge.

Attracted by the spiritual side of the walk, which is an ancient pilgrims’ trek, Paul said the beauty of the landscape prompted his own reflection, while the others he met on the route often had their own personal reasons for undertaking the challenge.

“It was a spiritual journey. Regardless of how actively religious you are, people are drawn to the Camino because of its spiritual appeal,” he said.

“It is a great place to reflect on your life and how you are living it.

“My uncle James was a larger than life character. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in January, around the time his own mum passed away.

“While people understood that my granny was 89 and had lived a good life, my uncle was just 54 and it was a great shock when he passed away just three months after his diagnosis.

“He was a big-hearted loving guy, great at making jokes but also good at giving everyone the time of day. Everybody is still in shock.

“Although my loss is nothing like the loss of his wife, his daughters and siblings, including my mum who was his twin sister, it has made me re-evaluate my life. Doing the trek was a practical way to leave a legacy.”