While many Australians will spend Anzac Day playing two-up, Hunter Medical Research Institute Chairman Glenn Turner will be embarking one-up on a ‘3D’ Healing Walk from Canterbury in England, through France, Switzerland and Italy, to Rome.

While many Australians will spend Anzac Day playing two-up, Hunter Medical Research Institute Chairman Glenn Turner will be embarking one-up on a ‘3D’ Healing Walk from Canterbury in England, through France, Switzerland and Italy, to Rome.

He is following the Via Francigena, an ancient 2000-kilometre trek that has historically been followed by pilgrims.

Mr Turner is undertaking the three-month journey to increase awareness for Diabetes, Dementia and Depression, the three rampant diseases of Western society. He is also hoping to raise $250,000 for HMRI to conduct further research into the illnesses.

The 65-year-old has undergone an MRI scan in the new HMRI Imaging Centre, an EEG (Electroencephalography) test and cognition tests as personal benchmarks. He will then be retested upon his return in late July to help determine the mental benefits of physical exercise.

‘‘The Via Francigena follows an old pilgrim route, and these long walks were supposed to heal in three ways – spiritually, physically and mentally,’’ Mr Turner told the Newcastle Herald.

‘‘It’s going to be a good trek and the solitude will provide me the chance to do a bit of concentrating and reflecting.”

Mr Turner will be blogging about his experiences as he walks across some of Europe’s most beautiful landscapes, sampling the culinary and wine delights along the way. The site is 3dhealingwalk.tumblr.com. He also has a Facebook page.

All costs for the walk are being paid for by Mr Turner. The community can support this vitally important cause, anonymously or otherwise, by going to Mr Turner’s 3D Healing Walk website (click the icon below) and following the prompts.