240,000 people in the UK have Crohn's and Colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, which lasts a life time and for which there is no known cure. The impact on education, work, social and family life can be devastating.  Teenagers and young adults are most at risk.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's when I was 17 years old. I had an operation at 18 and up until a year or so ago, with medication, my Crohn's was manageable. In January 2010, I became quite ill and was in and out of hospital over a long period of time. Being self-employed, this was quite a worrying time as I was spending less time at work and more time in hospital. After many tests and a change in my medication, thankfully my Crohn's is once again under control. I have always wanted to do something to raise awareness of Crohn's and feel now is the time to give something back.

So.....on 6th August 2011, I will set off for Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak. This will take approximately 7 days. On the 8th day, I will fly back to Glasgow and drive straight to Fort William to start the 'National 3 Peaks Challenge'. This challenge includes reaching Scotland's highest peak, Ben Nevis, England's highest peak, Scafell Pike and Wales's highest peak, Snowdon. I will reach these 3 peaks in under 24 hours. These are two big challenges in themselves, so doing them together will be a massive achievement. I am funding the whole trip myself so all sponsor money raised will go direct to the Registered Charity for Crohn's and Colitis, and will help provide the much needed support for those affected and fund vital research towards a cure. Many thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and for sponsoring me.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.