On the 21st of October 2022, Neuroendocrine Cancer UK’s Operations Manager and Digital Lead, Leanne Talbot, along her three friends (Aisling, Erin, and Laura) will be landing on African soil ready to take on not only the highest peak in Africa but the highest free-standing mountain in the world – Mount Kilimanjaro!
Leanne has chosen to raise funds for Neuroendocrine Cancer UK and is asking for the NCUK community to support her and sponsor this venture.
I am so excited and absolutely terrified about our Kilimanjaro challenge! I went on my first ever hike back in 2020, when I climbed Ben Nevis with no training – I mean what else was there to do during lockdown, other than walk!?
Fast forward to 2022 and after a number of hikes around the UK, we’ve decided to up the game and set the challenge of a lifetime. I of course have chosen to raise money for NCUK. I am so passionate about the charity, the work we do and have the upmost respect for the Neuroendocrine Cancer community, most of whom I now call friends.
Any money raised will fund Neuroendocrine Cancer research.
I cannot wait to stand at the top of that mountain, wearing my Neuroendocrine Cancer UK shirt with pride! If you would like to support my venture, I would appreciate any donations, big or small ❤️ Thank you.
Preparation continues…
18/08/2022
Ok… so it is getting real now 😬
On Saturday morning, I will be leaving my house at 6am to drive to Snowdonia, as that night our Kili team will start climbing Mount Snowdon at 10pm! It’s going to be over 30 hours of little sleep. It’s forecast to rain, and we’ll be climbing with only the light of the moon and a head torch.
So, why am I doing it when I could be warm in my own bed?
Well, some of you may not know that on day 8 – the final push to the summit of Kilimanjaro (5,895m), we awake before midnight to start our ascent. For the next 6 hours we trek the steepest and most demanding part of the route by torch light. This is a long and gruelling trek through scree, in -20-degree conditions. The air is so thin, that the shortage of oxygen makes you feel dizzy, delirious, cannot breathe and sick.
THIS IS going to be unbelievably challenging – mentally, physically, emotionally… and I’m trying to train as much as I can to prepare for the ultimate achievement of this climb… getting to the top. It’s not all about the challenge itself, it’s all the preparation beforehand!
For this challenge I am raising money for of course, NCUK. The charity that I am so passionate about. That has connected me with so many amazing and inspirational people. That has broken my heart and that has made me push myself and become a better person.
If you can donate even £1, you’ll help fund much needed research and give me that motivation to take on this beast of a mountain. Thank you.
SNOWDON… COMPLETE
On Saturday our little team (minus one) climbed Mount Snowdon during the night! We set off at dusk and reached the summit at 11:20pm. The weather conditions were poor with thick fog and rain but as always we smiled through it and pushed ourselves to reach the summit. The hike down was long! It was very surreal not being able to see anything other than the light of the torches and the scree on the ground before you. In total it took 5 hours 59! Meaning we got back to our hostel at 2am and managed to sleep before the 4 hour drive home.
13/10/2022
One week today we will be boarding our flight to Tanzania. The nerves are really kicking in now. Have I bought everything I need for the trip? Have I bought the right kit? How cold is it currently? Have I trained enough? How many people have died on Kilimanjaro?! These are the current thoughts going through my mind!
I’m so apprehensive, yet so ready for this. 10 months of planning and preparing and now it’s almost time!
Thank you to everyone who has donated so far – I am beyond grateful.
You can support Leanne’s challenge here.