A WOMAN – who was one of the first people to have surgery for a hole-in-the-heart condition 45 years ago – is trekking across the Sahara desert for a cancer charity. Sue Ware, 58, pictured, who works at The Limes Nursing Home in Littleport, will fly to Mo

A WOMAN - who was one of the first people to have surgery for a hole-in-the-heart condition 45 years ago - is trekking across the Sahara desert for a cancer charity.

Sue Ware, 58, pictured, who works at The Limes Nursing Home in Littleport, will fly to Morocco next month and will hike 100 km across the sand dunes of the world's largest desert for Macmillan Cancer Relief.

About 50 other people will be joining her in the challenge, which should take six days, and she aims to raise in excess of £2,000.

Within a year, Sue, of Old Kiln, in West Winch, near Kings Lynn lost two family members to cancer. In June 2004, her younger brother, Paul Reeve lost his battle with the disease at the age of 53, and in May 2005, her father, Eric, aged 82.

She said: "Dad was cared for by a Macmillan nurse, but Paul was undiagnosed for long time.

"Macmillan is a fantastic charity. It provides people suffering with cancer, and their families, with the help and the support they need.

"And when I saw an advert to take part in the trek, I knew instantly I wanted to do it for the charity."

Sue, a manager at The Limes Nursing Home, has been hiking along Hunstanton beach to get used to the unusual terrain as part of her training.

She said: "Walking across sand is hard work. This will be a challenge, but I'm looking forward to it."

As children, both Sue and her brother Paul suffered heart conditions and were some of the first to people undergo heart surgery.

After they had operations at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, they were featured in their local paper playing cricket with their mother Joyce.

Mrs Reeve said: "If they hadn't had their operations, they would have died very young."

INFO: If you would like to sponsor Sue, contact her on 01553 842142.