On 21 October of this year, myself and my husband Andy, are embarking on a challenge to climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft), the tallest free standing mountain in the world.  Probably not one of my better ideas given I have a severe joint condition – however no pain no gain !! This is a very personal and demanding challenge for me, as 8 years ago I was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in all of my joints.  What started as swelling and pain in my knee, rapidly spread throughout my entire body, which resulted in constant pain 24/7. I was unable to work and could barely move for 4 months.  What was really frustrating for me was that I done nothing wrong, as RA is an auto immune disease whereby your body attacks itself for no good reason.  My rheumatologist told me it was simply ‘bad luck’.  This condition can affect anyone at any age including children. Our trip is entirely self funded and organised by ourselves, to ensure all donations go direct to The Arthritis Research UK charity.  We would like to raise as much money as we can, as the ‘Gold’ salt injections I receive every 6 weeks keeps me relatively pain free and able to lead a normal active life.  So I am very grateful for their research into pain relief. If you would like to support the challenge please donate on this page. All donations are very welcome and hugely appreciated.