A WOMAN who has battled through two traumatic illnesses in the past decade is walking 128 miles for charity, now that she is on the road to recovery.

But Julia Melia, 41, who lost her father Alan Dixon to a brain tumour in 2005, said she would only be ‘thinking of him’ when she does her four-day fundraising trek along the towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

The mother-of-two from Darwen, had a kidney removed after a malignancy was found.

Her surgery came just five days after Mr Dixon’s death.

She has also battled the brain disease Trigeminal neuralgia, which causes a stabbing or electric-shock-like pain in parts of the face.

She said: “I have been through an awful lot and the charities that I will donate to mean so much to me.

“My dad was a popular man in Darwen, so I had to set myself this challenge whilst doing something for him too.”

East Lancashire Hospice, Cancer Research UK and the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association are her chosen charities.

Julia, who now lives in Blackburn, will do the walk over four days but will cover her first 40 miles when she starts the walk on April 26.

She said: “I have been training really hard and have had to be really focused.

“Everybody knows somebody who has been affected by cancer so hopefully I will raise a lot of money.”

On her return, Julia will be celebrating with a party at Hoddlesden Conservative Club.

Tickets cost £6 and are available from Albert Stores in Lower Darwen, or Hoddlesden Chippy.