Friends and Family,

 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 

Next year I will be participating in a charity trek to climb Mt Kilimanjaro.  At 5,895m Mt Kilimanjaro is one of the largest volcanoes ever to break through the Earth’s crust and is Africa’s tallest mountain.  This is no holiday – my body will potentially experience Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).  As we gain altitude the air gets thinner, the pressure drops and there is less oxygen in the atmosphere.  Consequently your lungs and heart have to work harder to oxygenate your body.  The side effects of this are headaches, disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, nausea, dizziness, vomiting and, more seriously, developing a condition know as High Altitude Cerebral Oedema which is potentially fatal.

 

I am undertaking this incredible challenge in order to raise money for children & families suffering from Leukaemia and Cancer through my chosen charity, CCLASP which is a cause very close to my heart.  I am self funding the full cost of the expedition meaning that all money donated goes directly to the charity.

 

CCLASP helps to support children and groups of families, to express and share feelings, anxieties and the horror of having a child with a life threatening illness.  Over the past 12 months CCLASP have continued to run a telephone helpline offering tremendous support to families at a devastating time in their lives. They have purchased a bespoke mini bus for transport for sick kids and their families to and from hospital; sent families on UK holidays & trips to Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Florida; organised dream come true trips such as meeting Man Utd and Everton players and even organised helicopter flights.

 

In 1997, at the age of 13, I lost my twin brother Murray to leukaemia after his long battle with this illness.  I know first hand how charities such as CCLASP can help to improve the lives of sick children and provide crucial support to their families through the amazing work they do.

 

I am committed to raising £3,000.00 for this cause, and to train my body to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro.  The climb and altitude makes this challenge extreme and my training is intensive and time consuming. My aim is to help to improve the lives of Leukaemia and Cancer sufferers as well as their families. I believe this cause demands attention and I will do all I can to help; and I am asking for your help as well.  Please dig deep as every pound helps and all of your support will help me reach my goal!

 

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

 

Yours Hopefully,

 

Chris Aitken

chris.aitken1@hotmail.co.uk