Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am turning 50 in September this year which is a meaningful milestone for me for a number of reasons. I have decided to mark the occasion by completing a challenge at the end of September for the benefit of my small animal welfare charity - www.lapauk.org

A few years ago I was diagnosed with two complex conditions – one is neurological (autonomic disfunction/POTs) and another is immunological (mast cell reactivity). This came about as a consequence of picking up a flu virus on one of my business trips. Despite trying to push through multiple debilitating symptoms for several years, I deteriorated to the point when I had to stop work. At my lowest, I was barely mobile and was unable to speak for over 6 months. The condition is permanent (not terminal). However, with the help of a top-class medical team, a lot of research and discipline, I found a way how to build myself up again. It took a long time and I still have to manage my symptoms daily.

During this time of recovery, I had set myself two challenges. First, to travel to my home country (the name of which I am not allowed to mention here) by road alone for the purpose of bringing my charity's rescued dogs and cats to the UK for adoption. Second, to return to work. I have since made multiple trips in a licensed animal transport van transporting rescued animals to the UK for adoption and I returned to work in September 2023.

There is one more challenge to complete which will finish off my 40s on a positive note. I am going to climb Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in the UK based in Scotland) on my own in September. Ben Nevis is not Everest, but it is going to be a hard climb for me. The main difficulties are the uneven surface with multiple twists and turns on the route and unpredictable weather conditions. More importantly, climbing is the opposite of what my body needs and wants to do as it is constantly fighting against gravity. I will not give up – I will crawl to the top if I have to.

Few words about LAPA. I founded it in 2013. We have a shelter with over 100 rescued dogs and cats; we undertake rescue work dealing with abandoned animals and severe cruelty cases; we run a neutering programme for stray animals in four locations; we created a bespoke educational programme for children on responsible pet ownership which was funded by Dogs Trust for many years and we have transported several hundred dogs and cats into the UK for adoption.

I would be grateful if you would support my efforts by making a donation. If you don't support the animal cause, please support me. This challenge is just as much about proving the "mind over body" point as it is about helping those who are more vulnerable than us.

Once you donate, I will withdraw funds and transfer them to LAPA. It's the only way to donate through fundraising platforms for this cause in the current climate.