Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.  Sorry for the long blurb, but I wanted to give more context to my plan...

I have lived in the foothills of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro for nearly 8 years now.  Many days when I wake I see the mountain and am in awe of her beauty.  I have been surrounded by people climbing the mountain and by others deciding to take on the challenge of the annual Kilimanjaro marathon.  And in 2018, as I turn 40, will celebrate 10 years of marriage to my soul mate and in what would have been my Dad’s 70^th year I think it is time to take on the challenge.  

In memory of my wonderful dad and my amazing Aunty Angela I am going to push myself to run and climb Kilimanjaro.  I am going to make 2018 my year of mental and physical challenges.  In March 2018 I will run the half marathon in the foothills of the mountain and then later in the year I will summit to the rooftop of Africa (with a warm up first ever triathlon in September 2017!).  I would like to do these challenges to support brain tumour research.

As many people will know, my Dad, Donald Komrower, died in May 2012, three short months after being diagnosed with GBM brain tumour.  Dad was here in Moshi when his symptoms became apparent.  This visit was a first for many reasons, it was the first time and only time he met my adopted daughter (at this time his 3^rd granddaughter and 4^th
grandchild) and the first time he visited us when we lived in Kilimanjaro and since we had started running our lodge and safari company.  Despite having an unknown brain tumour, I still have fantastic memories of this visit.  We enjoyed chilling by our pool, visiting local eating spots, touring Arusha national park, picnicking with views of Mount Meru, laughing hysterically as a chameleon sat on his head and hiking by my husband’s family home in the village of Kirua.  It was aspecial time, yet a time when all our lives changed.  Dad woke up on my 34^th birthday
feeling different, feeling he had had a stroke. After a visit to the local hospital it became apparent that this was not the case and he was rushed off to Nairobi for further checks.  Despite everything all Dad wanted to do was to go to Zanzibar and hang out with his grandchildren.  Sadly that was never to be.  Just less than three months after my birthday dad died.  His tumour was inoperable and
the radiotherapy did little to reduce the devastation.  

Dad was an incredible man and as everyone knows who met him, a kind, caring and supportive man.  He was driven by his principles and
passionate about things that mattered to him and to society at large.  

We had a running joke through my childhood… it would go like this:  Dad: “Jenny it’s a good day for race”, Jenny: “What race?”  Dad: “The human race”.  Well in 2018 I will make it my race!  I would like to raise money to improve the treatment outcomes for anyone suffering from brain tumours.  I would like there to be more hope for the “human race” when it comes to this devastating disease.

This is going to be a massive challenge for me, firstly I hate running, I have been training since the beginning of August and at the time struggled to finish 2kms.  I also have shied away from climbing Kilimanjaro for  the15 years I have lived in Tanzania! 

But my time is now! For each gruelling step I will also be inspired by
the strength of my wonderful Aunty who I love very much.  She also battled a brain tumour 10 years ago and am devastated to say recently passed away in January this year from Leukemia.  She remained strong, determined, funny, kind and caring throughout the grueling journey.  She is already sorely missed.  

Please help me to reach my goal to raise £5000 (or more) for brain tumour research.  And when I have done all of this will I sit and enjoy part three of the Kili challenge "drink it!"...