UPDATE:  I'm delighted to be able to say that at 8.40am on Thursday 11 Feb 2010, I made it to Uhuru Peak, at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. At 5,895 metres, this literally is the highest point in Africa. I can honestly say that it was the hardest thing I've ever done, both physically & mentally, but it was worth the effort.  The two of us that were fundraising for the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre have raised approximately £15,000 between us. Between our group of 25 climbers, we have raised way in excess of £150,000 for our chosen charities.  Thank you for your sponsorship!

 

 

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My second photo on this page shows that Mount Kilimanjaro appears to be only twice the height of a giraffe, so how difficult can this climb be, right?

Actually, Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, at 5895 meters, and mountaineers will tell you that it is the most underrated mountain in the world. Only 60% of those who even try and climb it succeed, because although you can trek your way up to the top without any technical climbing skills, the conditions are extreme. The temperature plummets from 30 degrees Celsius lower down, to minus twenty at the summit at 19,341 feet. Altitude sickness is the biggest problem, with severe headaches, dizziness, sickness & loss of appetite a probability rather than a possibility. Sounds like fun, huh?

So why am I doing this? Well, I've watched with admiration as friends of mine have raised money by running marathons, or by cycling across Israel, Brazil or Vietnam,  but not once have I been inclined to join them. However, July 2009 marked the 20th anniversary of my mother's death, following a ten-year fight against cancer, and now seems the right time for me to do something worthwhile, in her memory.

In February 2009 my wife Liz & I watched the BBC Red Nose Day appeal on TV, and saw Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles and other "celebrities" climb Kilimanjaro. I thought if Moyles can do it, so can I. Rather worryingly, my wife seemed very keen to support the idea that I should go and climb a mountain where there is only 50% oxygen at the summit!  I've never even slept in a tent before, let alone owned a pair of climbing boots or a sleeping bag, but have already started training for what will no doubt be a physically, mentally and emotionally-exhausting 11 days next February.

I also decided that this would be an excellent way for me to raise money for a very worthy charity. I recently visited the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre, at Mount Vernon hospital in Northwood, which is a drop-in centre where anyone affected by cancer can talk, ask questions and get support & information on cancer, its treatments & side-effects, managing the impact of cancer, and other practical issues. They also offer complementary therapies, relaxation sessions, counselling sessions and many other services. In short, they work to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

I am aiming to raise £5895 in sponsorship, to help them with their excellent work, which would work out at £1 per metre of my climb up Kilimanjaro. I realise this is a lot of money, but I'm counting on your generous support to help me reach that target. Please sponsor me for as many metres as possible!

 

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.

So please dig deep and donate now.

Thank you!

 

David Stern