Everest at Boulder Brighton, for NASS

This July, we are climbing the height of Mount Everest from base camp to the peak, and back again. Not in Nepal, but at our local climbing wall, Boulder Brighton. Between us we are logging every boulder we climb and aiming to reach 3,485 metres, the height gain from Everest Base Camp to the summit and back.

We are doing this for a reason that is close to home. We both live with axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA, also known as AS), a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine and joints. There is still no cure. It is a condition you carry for life, and one that often takes years to diagnose, leaving many people without answers or treatment for far too long.

Movement and exercise are one of the most important things that help us manage it, which is exactly why this challenge means so much to us. Every climb is a small act of defiance against a condition that wants us to stay still.

We are raising money for NASS, the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society, the only UK charity dedicated to supporting people like us. Your donation will help fund vital research, improve diagnosis so others are not left waiting in pain, and raise awareness of a condition that far too few people have heard of.

Whatever you can give, thank you. It genuinely makes a difference, and it will help push us up every last metre.