Jason completes 800km Camino with Lucy by his side
- Posted: 15 September 2026
- 2 min read
For five weeks and more than 800 kilometres, Jason Venkatasamy carried his wife Lucy with him.
As he walked the Camino Francés from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela, Jason carried a framed photograph of Lucy, who died from pancreatic cancer in January this year.
Her photograph was with him every step of the way.
At the end of each day, as Jason sat down to go through the photographs and videos he had taken on the journey, Lucy was there beside him. Her framed photograph would sit next to him as he looked back over the day’s walk, the places he had seen and the memories he was making without her.
"It felt like she was there with me", Jason said.
Jason, 59, had decided to take on the Camino to honour Lucy’s memory and raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Action. He has now completed the 800km challenge and raised more than £4,000.
But the journey was about much more than fundraising.
Lucy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 2022 after experiencing just a few weeks of mild digestive symptoms.
“She only had indigestion. Nothing that would make you think it was something serious.”
Jason
Urgent tests and scans revealed a tumour in her pancreas.
Over the following three years, Lucy underwent intensive chemotherapy, major surgery, further operations, radiotherapy and additional treatment as the cancer spread. In February 2024, the couple were given hope when scans showed no evidence of disease.
But the cancer returned in early 2025 and spread to Lucy’s liver.
By the end of the year, her body could no longer tolerate treatment. Lucy died at home on 3 January 2026, aged 57.
“She fought unbelievably hard, but pancreatic cancer gives you such a small window. Even when you think you’ve beaten it, it can come back quickly.”
Jason
For Jason, telling Lucy’s story is as important as the money he has raised.
Her first symptoms had seemed ordinary. Jason hopes that by talking about what happened to Lucy, someone else might recognise a change in their health and seek help sooner.
“If sharing Lucy’s story helps even one person get diagnosed earlier, then it’s worth it,”
Jason
We want to say a huge thank you to Jason for taking on such an extraordinary challenge while carrying Lucy’s memory with him every step of the way, and for raising more than £4,000 to support Pancreatic Cancer Action’s work.
We’re also incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported Jason, donated to his fundraising, followed his journey and helped him share Lucy’s story. Your support has helped Jason turn an incredibly difficult experience into something that can help others.
Most of all, we hope that Lucy’s story continues to be heard, and that it encourages more people to recognise the symptoms of pancreatic cancer and seek advice when something doesn’t feel right.