At the start of this year, my friend Simon asked me if I fancied climbing Kilimanjaro!  Not knowing totally where it was and thinking he was joking, I agreed to the challenge!  It was only when the adventure company organising the trip rang me up for my credit card details did I realise that he actually meant it!

Simon as always been good to me so on the 3 October 2008 we head off on a 10 day trip where we will be climbing the highest freestanding mountain in the world - Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa - at a height of 5896m.

Now the truth is that over the last couple of years I have grown fond of climbing a mountain or 2 but more of a gentle trek in the UK rather than anything on the scale of this!  However, the reason I have taken this challenge is because Simon's youngest son, James, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 30 months.  I have to admit that my family and I had no real knowledge of what CF actually was or how it is the UK's most common life threatening disease with 7500 sufferers and 1 in 25 people carrying the defective gene that causes it.  When James was diagnosed we realised that there is a very thin line between good health and life limiting illness.  Life expectance is only 31 years.

Although there are many deserving causes that have unfortunately affected friends in recent times, I am honoured to be doing this for James and all donations will be going to the CF Trust so that we can all help to 'See Off CF'.  Any amount, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated.  

I would like to give special thanks to Sinead, Oliver and Thom for supporting and encouraging me!

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Cystic Fibrosis Trust gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!