A FUNDRAISING effort triggered by a Rosyth family's cancer heartbreak has already raised more than £1,200 for the Maggie's charity.

Lynn Hastings and niece Lauren Smith set out plans to walk 50 miles in September after Lynn's parents, Michael and Irena Smith, were told they had terminal cancer just days apart from each other.

As reported at the start of this month by the Press, Irena, 73, was told she had lung cancer and, two days later, Michael, 74, learned that he had terminal kidney cancer which had spread to his chest.

Spurred on by the support they have already received from Maggie's, Lynn and Lauren have now completed several return journeys between Rosyth and Dunfermline and only have around 18 miles left to complete their challenge.

"It is going really, really well," said Lynn. "We will have smashed it by next Saturday but we are just keeping it going for ourselves to keep that awareness and that fundraising going. So far, we have raised over £1,200 and funds are still coming in."

During their walks, the pair have been touched by many members of the public who have shared their own personal experiences of cancer.

"The stories have been amazing. We have just been getting lots of people coming up and talking to us and saying that is amazing what you are doing. It is amazing how many people come up to talk to us to tell us their story.

"We were totally appreciating where they were and the emotions. It is not abnormal to feel the way they do because it can be so overwhelming. Grief doesn't have a timescale."

Since finding out in June that their conditions were terminal, medics told the couple that there wasn't a treatment which could help and they are managing their pain with morphine.

"My mum and dad are not doing great." added Lynn. "My mum has now got a just-in-case box. She is really bad at night. I have been going and staying at night and going through and giving them morphine and Lauren goes into them at 5am.

"It is really, really hard but you do what you can. We don't have a choice."

Anyone wanting to give Lynn and Lauren's fundraising a boost can do so by visiting https://m.facebook.com/donate/373999134364422/?fundraiser_source=feed.