Thanks for taking the time to visit my fundraising page.

On 6th July I shall embark on a 7-day journey up the highest volcano in the world...to an imperious 5,895m!

I have taken on this challenge in the hope of raising £2,500 for a charity that I have a personal affinity with. The charity is called Aspire and it helps people with serious spinal injuries regain their lives and aiding them throughout their healing in hospital and at home.

I’m going to be honest; climbing Kilimanjaro was never something I’d always wanted to do nor was it in first position on my premature bucket list. A Eureka moment if you like…or perhaps more of an impulse decision sparked walking down the streets of Osborne Road. A willingness to undertake a feat of epic stamina and brute determination was something that initially looked quite attractive on the UCAS form. Anywho, clowning aside, here is my story…

My small, personal insight into the stark reality of chronic pain, loss of independence and the need to rely on others was, without doubt, my main reason for supporting Aspire. This past summer I gained a slight but realistic understanding into the daily difficulties facing lifelong spinal injury patients as I underwent a spinal fusion operation during a weeklong stay at hospital. Physically unable to move for a week, totally reliant on others and experiencing difficulties with the most basic of tasks highlighted the frustrations and obstacles facing paralysis victims and spinal injury patients on a daily basis…not just simply for a week (Check out some photos below). I learnt that the physical pain was just a small part of the problem, realising how the frustrating lack of independence can often be the most soul destroying. However, this is where Aspire can change lives, with the ability to allow patients to regain their independence and live the life they choose!

5 months on, I am fast-moving down the road of recovery and am, fingers crossed, nearing full recuperation. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be in the position I am and therefore feel it is only right to help out those who were not as fortunate as me. As well as a huge personal landmark for myself, the opportunity to support individuals who have endured life-changing spinal injuries is something I really aspire to do!!! (*cough*) 

As I mentioned above, Aspire helps people with spinal injuries not by just giving them more medical help but also by rebuilding their lives, changing things if necessary to help people move out of hospital and back home to live a normal life. 

Below are a few examples of the things that the money that I raise can buy:

 £100 – New crockery and cooking utensils for people with limited hand movement, allowing them to cook for themselves at home

 £250 – Funding for scheme’s like InstructAbility, a ground-breaking programme that offers disabled people the opportunity to train as fitness instructors

£700 – Headmouse Extreme, a mouse that works by only following the movement of someone’s head

£1500 – Integra Mouse Plus, a wireless mouth operated computer mouse that allows use of a computer through solely their mouth

I can’t possibly name all the work the charity does, but if you would like to see more please check out the link below. What I do know is that thousands of people’s lives are better off because of them.

 http://aspire.org.uk/a-z-of-products.aspx

If you have read this far:

 1.Well Done 

 2. Hear me out as I educate you on the reality of the challenge…

For those avid skydivers amongst yourselves, you would know that you would usually embark at around 15,000 feet…Kilimanjaro is over 19,000 feet. When you are that high up, the amount of breathable oxygen is less than half the amount than is common at sea level and this can cause some serious conditions such as 'acute mountain sickness' and 'high altitude pulmonary edema'. The symptoms of these can range from sickness and loss of balance to violent sickness, hallucinations and in some cases death! In fact, last year alone, 40% of trekkers did not complete the climb.                                                                                                       Nevertheless, despite finding it difficult to carry out any real training, I can assure you a most gruelling and intense training regime shall be undertook when fully fit...I cannot simply rely on a D of E Silver qualification this time round!

Please sponsor me to take on Mount Kilimanjaro for this worthy cause and make a real, tangible difference to these people's lives. Any amount would be hugely appreciated; if a charity like this didn’t exist hundreds of people’s lives would be a lot worse off. 

Thank you very much…wish me luck!

Akshay 

 (Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: ASPIRE 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.)