A WOMAN whose brother died from cancer will reach new heights with an Emmerdale star during a fundraising trip.

Jazz McLearie, who lives near Didcot, won a national competition to climb The Andes and visit Peru’s ancient Inca site Machu Picchu.

She was inspired to undertake the 10-day challenge after her brother Tarlochan Bharath died from colon cancer four years ago.

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Mrs McLearie, 45, said: “My brother had always said ‘do something’ so I thought it was about time I did something.

“He was very determined and I think I have the same attitude because I’m his younger sister.

“If you’re going to do something, you have to go for it. He would be really pleased.”

The mother-of-two will embark on the South American trek on Thursday in aid of breast cancer awareness charity Coppafeel.

Mrs McLearie, a karate and Insanity fitness instructor, has already raised £5,000 for the cause.

She will join television star Matthew Wolfenden, who plays Emmerdale’s David Metcalfe, as well as former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts.

They will be joined by 19 readers of magazine Fabulous who also won places on the trek.

She said: “It’s kind of weird thinking I’m going to be going to Machu Picchu with strangers but it should be interesting.

“We are all connected through one thing. It’s going to be emotional.”

Mrs McLearie’s brother Mr Bharath passed away at the age of 48, just three months after diagnosis.

The father-of-two from Slough received one course of chemotherapy before medics decided not to continue due to the state of his condition.

She said: “He was fighting all the way. He thought he could beat it but it spread so quickly.”

Mrs McLearie regularly travelled from her Blewbury home to care for Mr Bharath who lived alone.

She said: “I spent as much time as I could with him.

“It was kind of weird, we never spoke about it. We just carried on taking day by day, treatment by treatment.”

But the mother-of-two credits her husband Craig McLearie, 62, for helping her through her brother’s illness.

She said: “He took control of things. He was like my rock.”

Mrs McLearie is hoping she can highlight to people how important it is to get symptoms checked out early.

She said her brother “never really bothered with going to the doctors” but was urged to after unusual bowel movements.

She added: “You just wonder, if he had gone in earlier, he could have had more treatment.

“So if we can get one person to go, if something is not right, then that would be the best thing.”

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