KAREN Colliver and Maree West are stepping it up for breast cancer.
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When I saw it I just got really emotional and I thought this is a perfect way for me to celebrate the fact that I'm reaching five years.
- Karen Colliver
Ms Colliver, from Heathcote, and Ms West, from Junortoun, have both battled the ugly beast that is breast cancer and jumped at the chance to take part in Steps for Support: BCNA's Great Wall Challenge in October.
The Breast Cancer Network Australia fundraiser will see participants walk different sections of the Great Wall of China over the course of five days.
Money raised will go towards helping BCNA provide free programs, resources and support for Australians affected by breast cancer.
Ms Colliver said she had received an email about the fundraiser and instantly decided she had to do it.
"There were only limited places so we'd paid the deposit, put the forms in and had everything done in two hours," she said.
Ms Colliver will hit the "five-year mark" this October.
"Everyone always wants to get to that five-year goal from when you've finished treatment," she said.
"Because it's in October it works in well with the trip.
"When I saw it I just got really emotional and I thought this is a perfect way for me to celebrate the fact that I'm reaching five years.
"And because BCNA is such a great cause I thought I have to do it.
"It meant a lot personally to be able to take it on."
Participants must raise $3500 each to take part in the challenge.
Ms Colliver and Ms West are organising a Breast Cancer Fundraiser Family Fun Day in the Park at the botanic gardens in White Hills on March 30 from 11am to 3pm.
"There will be a doll and teddy show and the car club I'm involved with will be doing a show and shine," Ms West said.
"There will be activities throughout the day - things like lucky dips, a footy kicking competition, fairy floss, a scavenger hunt, barbecue lunch, face painting and a jumping castle.
"It will be a great day so we want as many people as possible to come along and help raise money for a very worthy cause."
Ms West said they would be ramping up their training regime in the coming months in preparation for the trek.
"We have to do our own personal training," she said.
"There's five days that we actually trek and it's a five-to-six hour trek on each of those days.
"We're staying in all different types of accommodation near the wall and we've got two-to-three star ratings so it's not as if we're staying at the best hotels.
"We've been warned some of them don't have western style toilets so it's going to be a real adventure.
"We're really looking forward to it."
Ms West said everyone knew someone touched by breast cancer.
"Seven women every day in Australia will die from breast cancer, on average," she said.
"Forty-one women are diagnosed in Australia every day.
"And there's about 125 to 150 men every year who will be diagnosed with breast cancer as well."
To donate money visit http://bcnastepsforsupport2014.gofundraise.com.au/pages/search
People can also email cassiabreastcancer@yahoo.com.au