Ski 4 Cancer’s new patron is polar explorer Sue Stockdale
Sue Stockdale, Britain’s first women to reach the Magnetic North Pole on skis, has been named as the new patron for Ski 4 Cancer, the UK based charity that provides respite breaks in the Alps for families who are affected by cancer.
Sue Stockdale achieved her amazing feat of skiing to the North Pole back in 1996. Since then she has joined expeditions to to the Geographical North Pole and Antarctica. With a select team of international skiers, Sue also skied across the Ice Cap in Greenland.
Before embarking on her first expedition to Kenya with Raleigh International, Sue was one of the youngest Senior Managers at British Gas. She also worked for the United Nations in the former Yugoslavia, where she was responsible for implementing a major change initiative.
Sue is also a former athlete, representing Scotland in the 3,000 metres and at numerous cross-country events. Her background as an arctic explorer and as a former international athlete led to her being selected to appear in Channel 4’s Superhuman series where contestants were subjected to some of the toughest tests ever seen on TV. Sue finished runner-up.
Today, Sue uses her unique experience in elite sport, polar adventure and business to provide services in the areas of leadership development, assessment and executive coaching. Sue is also much in demand as a motivational speaker, both in the UK and abroad.
John Lowe, Director of Development at Ski 4 Cancer said “We’re absolutely delighted that Sue has decided to join the Ski 4 Cancer team. Sue’s infectious enthusiasm has already made an impact and we look forward to involving Sue in some expeditions of our own in the not too distant future. I wouldn’t be too surprised if some cross-country ski challenges appeared on our event listings before too long!”
Commenting on the announcement, Sue said “Like so many people, I have known lots of people who have been touched by this cruel disease. I’ve experienced some tough challenges in the past but none of them come close to the challenge of dealing with a cancer diagnosis. I look forward to working with the Ski 4 Cancer team and helping them to increase their impact in the years to come.”
Ski 4 Cancer, pronounced ski for cancer, was set up in 2012 by a group of keen skiers and snowboarders who have all lost a close relative or friend to cancer. In addition to providing a range of alpine respite holidays for British families living with cancer, Ski 4 Cancer also makes grants to palliative care centres and supports research into the positive health benefits of exercise and spending time at altitude.
For more information visit http://www.ski4cancer.org
