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Kilimanjaro is the world’s highest free standing mountain and stands at an impressive 5985m or 19341 ft above sea level which is nearly 41/2 times higher than the UK’s highest mountain Ben Nevis in Scotland it is highest free-standing mountain in the world and attracts thousands of trekkers each year, hoping to reach its summit. There are actually three volcanoes that form Kilimanjaro Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo, but it is actually Uhuru Peak on the volcano of Kibo that marks the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and the highest point in Africa. Its last eruption was around 200 years ago and today Kibo lies dormant. Although activity is unlikely, you may be able to smell sulphur if trekking around the Reusch Crater.Climbing Kilimanjaro is a once in a life time experience and presents an ideal opportunity to raise funds for a worthwhile cause and I have chosen to raise sponsorship for the Katie Holmes Trust a
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local Lancashire charity raising funds for research into paediatric brain tumours. Brain Tumours often affect young children between the ages of 5 to 10 years old often with devastating consequences. Currently the government only contributes about 0.7% of the funding into this tragic disease and any additional funding to support the research and possible cures has to a worthwhile effort so it is with great pleasure that I commit myself to a gruelling seven months of Kilimanjaro has always been an attraction to me so when I was asked if I would like to climb it I jumped at the chance. Now in most people’s eyes including my own Kilimanjaro is an epic challenge, so why not I thought raise some money for a well deserving cause whilst I am about it:
Enter the Katie Holmes Trust a local charity raising money to fund the research into paediatric brain tumours following the death of Katie at the tender age of 10 in January of 2012, Katie died just 3 months after being diagnosed with Diffuse Pontine Glioma, a highly aggressive and difficult to treat brain tumour found at the base of the brain. Diffuse Pontine Glioma’s account for 10 to 15 percent of all childhood central nervous system tumours. The median age at diagnosis is 5 to 9 years old but they can occur at any age in childhood. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children in the UK with government funding only providing for 0.7% of funding towards research. As a parent I know you’ll agree with me this is a deserving cause and so it is of to Kilimanjaro with the aim of raising some necessary funds.
Now Kilimanjaro won’t be a walk in the park I have some serious fitness training to do to make sure that I get all the way up its 5985m (19341ft) so to make the challenge more attractive to sponsors I plan to do a lot of hill walking as preparation and not only climb the Yorkshire Three Peaks Walk, a demanding walk in itself, which takes in the summits of Pen-y-ghent (694 metres - 2,276 feet), Whernside (736 metres - 2,415 feet) and Ingleborough (723 metres 2,372 feet) all in one circular route. And later the National Three Peaks challenge, which takes in the summits of Ben Nevis (1,344 metres, 4,409 ft), Scafell Pike (978 m, 3,209 ft) and Snowden (1,085 m, 3,560 ft) within 24 hours.
It is many years since I have done anything remotely like this, so I see myself with three major challenges, there is the climb up Kilimanjaro that’s going to be tough, then there is the fitness training and the two 3 peak challenges. But the hardest challenge of all will be raising the sponsorship and that’s where you come in, it’s a great cause and a tough challenge so please help make it worthwhile and give what you can
Thank you
Mark