But that’s not all… Linda is also taking on the challenge to help raise funds for the place where her dad spent the last days of his life – Stepping Stone Hospice’s In-Patient Unit in New Market Park.
“I want to thank the beautiful, selfless people at Stepping Stone Hospice for caring for my dad by helping to raise a substantial amount for their building expansion,” says Linda. “My dad couldn’t talk in his last days, so I want to say ‘thank you’ on his behalf to every person there for their patience, their honesty, their love and for helping my dad pass with dignity. Stepping Stone Hospice would be my choice for myself if I ever needed it, and doing the Tankwa Camino to help them continue with their selfless dedication to others is the biggest expression of gratitude I can think of.”
Many of the people who embark on the Tankwa Camino see it as a way to ‘unplug’ from their daily lives. And as someone who makes a living behind a camera, recording other people’s journeys, Linda says she is looking forward to “finding peace and finding myself again, as I also overcome the obvious physical challenges that this experience will bring.”
Colin passed away on the 8th of April 2016 and the hike begins on the 31st of March 2017, which means Linda will still be walking on the anniversary of his death. “Losing my dad was one of the toughest things I’ve ever been through. No one knows what it’s like to lose a parent until it actually happens. My father was nomad, an adventurer and a traveller. It was nothing to him to get up in the morning and suddenly decide to ride somewhere for the day on his motorbike. He wasn’t your average man and it’s as if I can feel him pushing me to do this.”
If you’d like to sponsor Linda, please make an EFT donation directly to the Stepping Stone Hospice bank account:
Stepping Stone Hospice
ABSA
Branch code: 632005
Account no: 4086095643
Ref: TANKWA CAMINO
(Please email your proof of payment, together with your full name and contact information to finance@steppingstonehospice.co.za.)
“No amount is too big or too small,” says Linda. “You can give one lump-sum donation or sponsor me per kilometer, per step, per minute or even per second walked! All of it will go directly to Stepping Stone Hospice.”
Says Stepping Stone CEO, Tersia Burger, “We are truly humbled and grateful for Linda’s efforts on our behalf and we wish her a safe and soul-enriching journey.”
To learn more about the Tankwa Camino, visit https://www.tankwacamino.com/
Caption: Linda Keiser will soon be embarking on the Tankwa Camino, a grueling 10-day, 256km endurance hike, in aid of Stepping Stone Hospice. She’s seen here with Stepping Stone Hospice CEO, Tersia Burger.