Leanne Jarchow walks for hospital

The 51-year-old woman from Croydon, Melbourne, has kayaked the Murray River and is now walking to Melbourne to raise money for the Alfred Hospital.

Leanne said she left Yarrawonga on July 10.

"The plan was to kayak to Murray Bridge, SA, and then walk from Murray Bridge to Melbourne, but we had some extreme weather so I started walking from Blanchetown," she said yesterday.

"I'm on the Melbourne side of Dimboola and will stay in Horsham tonight and tomorrow night, so I'm halfway."

Leanne is undertaking the extreme mission in memory of her father.

"My dad had cancer and died in October, 2005," she said.

"He was in the Alfred Hospital from February to October 2005 and I did a big fundraiser then.

"I paddled from the Hume Weir to Wellington, SA, but didn't raise as much as I'd hoped, so I thought it was time to do it again."

This time Leanne is raising funds for six treatment chairs for chemotherapy patients.

"They cost $33,000 and I was up to $20,000, but I've recently heard Heathmont Lions Club members have promised to buy a chair outright, so I'm now up to $25,000," she said.

"They've also put the challenge out to other Lions clubs to support us."

So how has the trip been so far?

"Today the weather has been absolutely feral," she said.

"I've gone through the wind and rain, but it hasn't been too bad, it was worse when I was on the water.

"I had a TK1, or a touring kayak for one person, and it got too dangerous. There were times when it tipped and filled with water and nearly sank.

"I have been walking and paddling on my own, but I have had family and friends with me and at the moment I've got someone following me.

"I've got a high visibility vest, an orange beanie and a two-way radio.

"I've got two grandkids and two children, so I'm probably too old to be doing this.

"The kids call me the 'crazy granny', but there are two reasons I'm doing it.

"The first reason is that the treatment the Alfred gave my father was fantastic.

"They went above and beyond the call of duty. My daughter was getting married and they helped her move the wedding forward, so dad could attend.

"He died five days after.

"People say public hospitals are terrible, but they do a lot more than people realise.

"The second reason is I've met so many people along the way in Victoria and SA who have donated $5 or $10 and they've got stories too.

"I also want to demonstrate to my kids and grandkids that you can do whatever you believe in and if you get people involved with your passion, well that's a good thing."

Leanne's Melbourne-based husband Manfred Jarchow said he was backing her 'all the way'.

"She's wanting to do it and I think it's great," he said.

"Leanne made some inquiries at the Alfred for something to benefit patients immediately and they said they needed the chairs.

"She said: 'I've paddled the length of the Murray before, so I could paddle it again and add a walk to give some more interest to it'.

"We held fundraising events in Melbourne and then she started paddling from Yarrawonga.

"She's due back in Melbourne on September 5 and she's pretty much on target.

"She's had some blister problems, so she was at the Nhill Hospital last night and they fixed up the fluid problems.

"The trip is roughly eight weeks, so four weeks on the water and four weeks on the road."

Leanne said people wanting to donate could visit www.marathonforacause.com.

Kaitlyn Opie