Mike Peters' wife Jules 'rocks' Sahara and raises £100,000

Jules Peters arrived home last Tuesday from the Sahara after completing the challenge for the Love Hope Strength Foundation, the charity Jules and Mike set up in 2006 in the wake of Mike’s leukaemia diagnosis.

Mike was unable to join the fundraiser after relapsing earlier this year. The front man of The Alarm is currently receiving treatment at Glan Clwyd Hospital and Llandudno

Jules, of Dyserth, who has trekked to Macchu Picchu, Kilimanjaro, Kauai, Hawaii, Holy Land, Grand Canyon, Snowdon, Iceland, Ben Nevis, Empire State Building and Offa’s Dyke, said this is the first trek she has done without her “co-pilot.”

She led a 50-strong group. A total of 50 miles was covered over five days from Bougharn Dunes to Ouarzazate, Morocco.

50 trekkers from all over the world joined Jules Peters for the trek

Jules, who has sons Dylan and Evan, said: “Thanks to a huge outpouring of love we have smashed all expectations by raising £100,000. The donations are still flowing and some of the money raised will be spent in North Wales.

“Mike was supposed to lead the trek with me but had to stay back in Wales. I was joined by trekkers from all over the world, including 10 people from Wales.”

Jules and Mike's last hike was in Iceland in 2019.

Despite the torturous heat at times, Jules said she “loved” scaling the dunes and described them as “breathtaking."

“I may be back in Wales but my heart is still back in the Sahara,” Jules said.

Flying the Welsh flag in the Sahara

“It’s difficult to explain the vastness. I would climb out of my tent in the middle of the night as I really struggled to sleep on this trek, adrenaline I think and relief that Mike was getting better at home perhaps, but when I stepped out of my tent all alone, gazing out at the endless dunes and upwards at the starry endless skies, I felt extremely emotional. I also felt like I was an extra on a Star Trek movie.

“The dunes were breathtaking. The tangerine colour of the sands and turquoise blue of the skies was transcendental, it felt like we were sand-skiing at times.

“I’m just desperate to return and do it all again [with Mike and the boys].

50 trekkers from all over the world joined Jules Peters for the trek

“Running down the highest sand dune in the world after watching the sun rise on the top is a memory that will live with me forever.”

Mike has been seriously ill since April.

Jules said: "I made a pact with myself before leaving that I wouldn’t allow myself to get emotional about Mike not being by my side. I felt a responsibility to fly the Love Hope Strength flag and 'Be Like Mike'. Mike always tries to remain positive against all the odds and that isn’t always so easy. I just concentrated on the positive and the fact that Mike was responding to treatment back in Wales and that he had a hospital to attend and drugs to receive.

"I think it did me good to lead the hike without Mike. I needed to exhale after the trauma of the last seven months or so back in Wales, to escape if you like.

Jules Peters said she may be back in Wales but her heart is still in the Sahara.

"Mike has been seriously ill since April and it has been quite the task to manage his health as his partner, knowing when to press the emergency button. I was finally able to get Mike admitted to hospital, at my wits end, when he could barely take a breath on our daily hike.

"I am overwhelmingly grateful to the NHS Staff at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Ysbyty Bangor, Healthy Prestatyn Surgery and the North Wales Treatment Cancer Centre. During a three week period of Mike’s hospitalisation, the staff have slowly rebuilt Mike and I can now see my husband reappearing out of the darkness and into the light.

"We remain forever vigilant and Mike’s treatment will be ongoing for many years but we feel in very safe hands at the North Wales Cancer Centre, where Mike began his cancer journey back in 1995 [it was Ysbyty Glan Clwyd as there wasn’t a Cancer Centre at that time]. It is also of course where I received my own chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment after my breast cancer diagnosis back in 2016."

Jules said the dunes were breathtaking: "I loved scaling them, followed by the softness of the descent."

The trekkers that joined Jules were from all over the world. They ranged from a girl, aged 17, from Boston and a 66-year-old from Dyserth.

Jules said: "To see everyone helping each other through difficult moments was incredibly touching. There was a lot of sickness, dehydration, ankle injuries but the challenge of the trek was to pull together as a team and support each other.

"We were all looking forward to a digital detox so many trekkers left their phones back at the hotel. My phone is primarily my camera so I kept mine in my rucksack.

"I was able to connect with Mike on FaceTime, just as he was receiving immunoglobulin therapy at Llandudno Hospital. It was very touching as all the trekkers were able to wave at the screen and shout 'hello'. It was also very poignant to see Mike all wired up, mask on as he received his life-saving treatment. It made us all even more determined to complete our challenge."

Jules added: "I’m so proud of all the trekkers and sponsors who have collectively raised so much money. For the first time I set up a personal JustGiving and people have been so generous. The icing on the cake was when an Alarm fan offered to match fund any monies raised by my JustGiving page to the tune of $50,000 - this incentive encouraged us all to keep marching on.

"The money raised is a significant amount which can now distributed to places that need it most."

Jules said Mike is responding "incredibly well" to his new chemotherapy and treatment regime.

The couple are now counting down to Mike returning to the stage with The Alarm at The Arena, Venue Cymru, on Jan 27 and 28 2023.

The money raise through Sahara Rocks will help Love Hope Strength fund new equipment and special projects in cancer centres, treatment units and community services in the UK and the USA and in underprivileged communities around the world.

Love Hope Strength helps people affected by cancer across the globe through its partnerships with hospitals and international organisations including the Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania, blood cancer charity DKMS, the World Cancer Research Fund and the Union for International Cancer Control.