IN April 2003, I set out on an epic journey along the Great Wall of China for the first all-female walk of the Great Wall. I was joining an amazing Karen Churches, who has been planning the first all-female walk of the Great Wall of China in support of Breakthrough Breast Cancer for over two years.

In preparation for our departure in April, we spend months getting fit, raising awareness of Breakthrough's research and awareness work and raising funds for the trek. At no time did we imagine that our biggest challenge would come in the form of a new and previously unidentified disease, Sars, which has affected China worse than anywhere else in the world!

We were all hugely disappointed when we came to the end of the first leg and were advised that we had no option but to stop and reschedule plans for the Great Walk. The Chinese government made the decision to impose a law preventing travel throughout the country to stop further transmission of the disease. We needed to consider our next steps quickly and carefully.

The past month has been a life-changing experience to say the least. But our resolve is stronger than ever and we are determined to continue walking and raising money for research into breast cancer, a disease that affects almost 40,000 women in the UK every year.

So, off we go, our first stop is Cuba for a series of treks starting on May 10 and then we'll head off to Peru to welcome a new group of women who will be walking the Inca Trail with us from June 20.

It's not too late to join the Great Walk. For more information on where we are heading off to and when we will be returning to China, visit www.greatwallofchina.org or call 020 8557 000.

We look forward to meeting you on our travels throughout the world with the aim of raising £1 million for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

JOSIE LAWRENCE, actress

Breakthrough Breast Cancer