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On 15th April 2025 – exactly one year since his wife Wanda passed away from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) – 70- year old John McDonnell will set off on the 230km Portuguese Camino, honouring a dream they had planned to fulfil together.
Wanda, who lived with Crohn’s disease for over 40 years, had meticulously planned the walking route through Portugal and Spain for their joint retirement. Sadly, she passed away shortly after her 61st birthday and never got the chance to complete it. Now, John will follow the path she mapped out, carrying one of her beloved Converse All Stars shoes with him – a deeply personal symbol of the theme from John's eulogy that he said at Wanda's funeral: Walk a Mile in My Shoes.
“This was a promise I made at her funeral,” John said. “She had such a tough life but never gave up. Not many people understood the strength it took to live with chronic illness for decades while raising two children without much support. Despite everything, she could turn her hand to anything – from baking to sewing. She was incredibly brave, right until the end.”
Wanda passed away in April 2024, after her AML diagnosis on New Year’s Eve 2023. After initially responding well to treatment and preparing for donor stem cell therapy, her condition sadly deteriorated. Throughout it all, she remained determined to “give it her best shot.”
The walk will begin with a quiet moment on the beaches just north of Porto, exactly as Wanda planned. From there, John will follow the combined Coastal and Central Portuguese Camino route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, aiming to complete the journey by 1st May 2025.
John has already raised over £2,300 in support of Beatson Cancer Charity and is close to reaching his target of £2,500. The generosity of friends, family, and supporters has been overwhelming, and John says each donation – no matter the size – brings him closer to fulfilling Wanda’s dream and leaving a lasting legacy in her name.
Funds raised will support Beatson Cancer Charity – a cause that holds deep significance for the family. Though now living in the Netherlands, John is a proud Glaswegian. Wanda was Dutch, with Polish and Limburg heritage. Their two children, Elena and Ryan, both live in the Netherlands, with one recently working at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and helping provide care for Wanda at the end of her life.
“My cousin Elaine recently retired from the Beatson, so I’ve long known about the amazing work they do,” John added. “Knowing that the funds raised could go towards research and patient support – particularly in Glasgow – means a great deal to me, to Elena and Ryan, and to Wanda’s memory.”
