Sunderland man Ray Turnbull, 79, plans to walk the world in 20million-step charity challenge after losing wife, mother and brother to Mesothelioma

Ray Turnbull set himself the challenge of walking to raise money in January 2021 and has now covered around 9,300 miles as well as clocking up the equivalent of approximately 12,948 miles with three million pedal turns on his exercise bike – despite being not far short of 80 years of age.

Ray has been fundraising for Mesothelioma research to combat the cruel cancer which robbed him of his wife, mum, and brother.

More than £15,000 raised

Mum Jean passed away in 1979, aged 72. Ray’s wife Jean died in 2009, aged 62 and brother David in 2021, aged 74. Ray’s uncle George Watson also lost his life to the condition.

All four had been exposed to asbestos at the former Washington Chemicals factory.

Since Jean’s death, Ray has raised more than £15,000 for research into the disease.

His latest fund-raising idea initially started as a one-year plan to walk 500,000,000 steps but soon took an a life of its own ans the money started to come in.

The initial target was bumped up to 7,500,00 steps, a second year was added and then a third: “I thought I could do seven-and-a-half million steps the first year, and then the same the second,” said Ray.

New challenge

“Then it came to the third year and I thought ‘I’m going to be 78 this year and I’m not sure about doing another seven-and-a-half million, so I’ll round it down and it became the 20million step challenge.”

Ray completed the walk and ride challenge on Tuesday, April 18, well ahead of his deadline of New Year’s Eve. Now he plans to take it easy for the rest of 2023, and add just enough miles to take his tally to 24,855 – the circumference of the Earth.

He promised everyone who donated that their money would go to fighting the disease: “We have been assured by the British Lung Foundation that every penny we raise goes directly towards mesothelioma research,” he said.

A mesothelioma self help group meets on the first Thursday of every month between 10.30am and 12.30pm at Woodridge Gardens, Oxclose Road, Columbia.

To donate to Ray’s fundraising, visit https://jean-turnbull.muchloved.com/