Just wanted to share an event I’m doing this year for a very worthy cause.
[CENTER]Summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro [/CENTER]
Last April I done the 26 mile marathon walk in my Kilt from Hampden (Scotland Football Stadium) to the bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond in order to make a big difference to the children who are in need of a little support. Well, this April 2013 I’m doing the same, but I’m going the next mile this year…
In October 2013 I’m leaving Heathrow to trek Mount Kilimanjaro (the world’s tallest stand alone mountain) wearing my kilt to raise money for Scottish children’s charities including: Aberlour, Childrens Hospice (CHAS), CLIC Sargent, TACC & Yorkhill Children’s Foundation and I’m hoping to raise a total of £3000.
Why? - Because I believe in the work they do and again in order to make a bigger difference to children in Scotland who are in need of a little support. Ultimately helping to support children in Scotland from disadvantaged backgrounds or who suffer from life-threatening illnesses to get the care and attention they deserve.
I was born with sporadic forms of very rare eye conditions, thus I am permanently impacted and I have very recently been registered blind, thus I am personally fully aware of the difference a little help makes.
So I’m asking for your support in my efforts by contributing absolutely anything you can to my fundraising total PLEASE! It would be a massive help and deeply appreciated.
Its children like this wee girl that I’m raising money for…
For the kiltwalk!
Hi my name is Meghan, i’m 14 years old & this is my story.
Since the age of 4 i was always having severe headaches & vomiting,I couldn’t keep my balance very well so i fell over quite alot. My mum was really concerned & took me to the doctors.I then had an assessment done this came back that i was just clumsy & needed occupational therapy this went on until i was 8 yrs old.Mum had had enough demanded an appointment with a pediatric consultant.My head was getting bigger,my headaches were getting worse before i knew it i was in hospital having an MRI then bang I have HYDROCEPHALUS, 1 week later i was in hospital having brain surgery this didnt work first time around so they said i needed another one as it was more difficult than first thought but this surgery had to be delayed as i took an infection in the brain,I was really ill & the doctors had to keep a close eye on me they had to put antibiotics straight into my brain to make me better for surgery,after 6 weeks in hospital i was ready for my surgery where they would put a shunt in to help the fluid away from my brain.Anyway since that time i have had approximately 18 brain operations to try & help me.I have hardly been at school since i was diagnosed all those years ago as i still suffer from headaches,short term memory loss & occipital epilepsy.Believe it or not i am a happy 14 year old who never wants anyone to feel sorry for me all i ask is that you donate lots of money so that other people like myself can get the support from doctors,nurses & support groups that help children with hydrocephalus.
THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR READING MY STORY, PLEASE SHARE!
Last year I done the Walking a Marathon challenge around a week after my posterior capsulotomy operation. Unfortunately, things didn’t improve vision ways the way it was expected, so for the first time in my life I was below the baseline of being categorised severely visually impaired. As a result, I was registered blind.
Things haven’t changed a lot in the last year, as I’ve had 23 years since birth to adapt. However, with my blind registration going through I considered how much help I had been given over the years and with a deteriorative condition, I decided to up the anti and go the extra mile for those that need it. It’s just my way of giving back.
From what I know and have learned, what battles you is the attitude and cold climate. So it’s pretty difficult to train for that, unless I take a leaf out rocky’s book and train in freezers. My plan of action though is just to get as physically fit as I can in the time. Climb plenty stairs and walks with the dog and go swimming etc.
I’ll wear my kilt on it’s on during the first lower days, but as the ascent increases / temperatures drop. I’ll use additional layers below. For the only reason that I’ won’t get away with the kilt alone. Perhaps if summit was during the day, it could work but ascending at night to summit at sun-rise the additional layers below the kilt will be mandatory.
How was your trip? when did you do it and what tips do you have?
All summits are at night. I went in Feb. The warmest time. We took the lemesho rout. Took 8 days. Take the 8 days. Anything less and you risk failure. Bring a big pee bottle
thats the hardest route I beleive because its the fastest. Yeah you can wear a kilt during the day pretty much until you reach 15000 ft. The first few days were cake. The last day was very hard. If you wear a camel pack it will freeze in 30 minutes. Everyone I hiked with carried a 10 pound block of ice up the summit. But I did not. If you suck the water in and out every 2 minutes it will not freeze. But I had to pee every hour. Peeing in -10 with 6 layers of clothing on is not easy. Wool is your friend. Wear no cotton. Bring a zero degree sleeping bag. You do need it. Its freezing. Buy a sterypen for the water. Kept me from having the *****. I hate hiking in boots. I wore shoes. They were fine as long as you have thick wool socks. You do have cell service at different parts. I brought about 10 pounds of snacks and ate them all. Others did not. Go easy on the caffine the last day. I almost did myself in taking too much. Even though that has never been a problem before.
I may go for the Rocky press-up summit approach haha!!
Wool… Check.
What was the comfort limit of the sleeping bag you had? and how did you find it?
Snacks… What’s the rules for bringing food into the country, I want to be taking snacks !! Preferably if I can, I’d like to take some grounded oats, which I can easily mix with water and drink no problem.
Do you by any chance still have your kit-list check-list document for everything you took with you? That would be a great help. Also, is there anything you didn’t take but would take next time if you were to do it again.
I brought everything I needed. Just get everything on that list. Everyone was jealous if my 1 gallon callasable pee bag. At night you dont want to leave the tent. I bought most everything at REI. I had a $350 zero degree bag from REI and I was comfortable in my long underwear. My dad bought a $40 zero degree bag from Costco. He was miserable even wearing all his clothes. So buy a good one.
My parent and I did stairs for 2 years in prep. Working up to 1 1/2 hours of stairs at 100% intensity the entire time. Me wearing 30lbs on my back to keep me on par with them. I needed every bit of cardio I had from 17,000 to 19,300 feet.
I am still considering whether to buy new or second hand or hire. I’m in the UK and there is a handful of places that I could hire from, a sleeping bag for example worth £200-300 for a £50 hire.I’ll probarly never use it again anyway. But I still regret paying that money just for a 2-week hire. Hopefully I can find some good gear at a knock down price.
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