Standing at an impressive 5,895 metres, Mt Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and her country’s highest point.  Located in northern Tanzania, she is actually a volcano in geology – 3 volcanoes in fact, all fused together– with a base diameter of more than 40 miles. 

Kilimanjaro hosts more than 35,000 ambitious trekkers each year, each journeying up a variety of treks through rainforests, alpine deserts, glaciers and moorland all across a terrain that is fiercely scarred by both fire and ice.  Those favouring the Lemosho route – as climbed by the Comic Relief team in 2009 – will experience around 8 days of trekking (for up to 12 hours at a time) through unspoilt and spectacular scenery to reach the summit – Uhuru Peak.

On average, one third of those who attempt to climb Kilimanjaro will fail.  

On June 7th 2012, in conjunction with our dearest friends at Flightless Birds, 9 determined climbers will attempt to conquer Mt Kilimanjaro.  Andrina, Elle, Dave, Dan, Charlotte, Tom, Joe, Tim and Paddy will climb all 5,895 metres to the top, before returning to tell the tale.  We will be training long and hard to ensure we won't fail. 

What will await us?  Nothing much...just avalanches, falling rocks, crevasse falls, other falls (including getting hit by falling climber), severe exhaustion/dehydration, whiteout, hurricane at 8600 m / 27000 ft, lost tents, frostnip, vertigo, altitude sickness, witnessing accidents and deaths of other climbers.

Why on earth would we want to do this?  For a great cause, of course.  To raise money to fund research and to provide support to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Association in both Australia and the UK.  This disease claimed the life of someone very dear to us, and we want to do everything that we can to put a stop to this horrible and cruel disease. 

Where will the money go?

Fund the work of one post-doctoral researcher for 12 months

Dr Vicki Lewis is a post-doctoral researcher who works alongside Professor Steven Collins in Melbourne University’s CJD surveillance and prion research group.  Studying and analysing the normal biology of the prion protein – the protein which can behave abnormally and convert into the infectious prion that is thought to be the cause of this rare and fatal brain disease – in order to better understand the complex nature of prions, what they are, how they arise, and ultimately work towards a cure for CJD.

Vicki needs a minimum of $10,000 AUD to help fund her studies for 1 year and we want to get this for her, and more if we can.  
 

To help fund The CJD Support Network

The CJD Support Network provides invaluable support and help for people with all strains of CJD, their families and carers.  They depend heavily on donations, so we want to help this network keep doing the amazing work they have been. 

**All funds raised will be split as follows – 75% will be given to Vicki to continue her studies, and 25% to the UK Support Network.

We’ve set ourselves a goal of £12,000 which is a little over double the height of the mountain.  This will go a long way in helping both Vicki and The CJD Support Network in the future.

9 climbers versus one pretty big mountain.  We’re going to need your support!