Mount Kilimanjaro Challenge July 2011!

Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, at 19,340 feet (5895 meters).  It is called the “Roof of Africa”, a massive 60km long by 80km wide with an altitude that reaches just a fraction under 6km above sea level. It is big enough to have its own weather systems (note the plural) and, furthermore, to influence the climates of the countries that surround it (Kenya and Tanzania). So massive is Kilimanjaro that to climb it is to pass through four seasons in four days, from rain forests through the windswept heather and moorlands, then the alpine desert up to the arctic wastes of the summit.

Statistics for climbing Kilimanjaro give an indication of the size and altitude of this mountain; according to park authorities, almost one in four people who climb up Kilimanjaro fail to reach even the crater – and only 50% of climbers actually make the summit. They also admit there are a couple of deaths per year although independent observers put that figure nearer ten. The simple truth is that Kilimanjaro is a very big mountain and, like all big mountains, its very adept at killing off the unprepared, the unwary or just the plain unlucky.

So the first question I asked myself was “Can I climb Kilimanjaro?” Kilimanjaro isn’t like rock-climbing; it’s like walking 5-7 hours a day, mostly uphill.  This means that Kilimanjaro ‘hiking’ is more of a grind than grueling or arduous. But it’s not really the walking that gets people – it’s the altitude. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a headache that Advil can solve or possibly other mild symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). If you’re unlucky, you might get High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) or High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) – which if not dealt with quickly can result in death. Thus I’ve mentally calculated that if I’m reasonably fit, and I prepare well, I’ve got a decent chance. And I’m willing to take that chance for a great cause!

So the obvious next question becomes, “Why am I climbing it”? To raise funds for cancer research.  I will be turning 43 years old next year and it is inconceivable to imagine that I don’t have a minimum of 30-40 years left to experience life. For a lot of people diagnosed with cancer, they don’t get that chance. It is pretty incredulous to me that approximately 13% of all human deaths each year are caused by cancer-related illnesses. Whilst the numbers of cancer-related deaths are trending slightly down due to a decrease in smoking, better treatment and earlier detection, there is still a long way to go. By climbing Kilimanjaro, I’m hoping to contribute much-needed funds for cancer research grants in Australia.  It would be nice if we could cure some types of cancer once and for all during my lifetime.

I am yet to find anyone who hasn't been touched by this devastating disease during his or her lifetime and I would welcome any contribution, big or small, that you are able to make.

Thanks for contributing!

Peter

P.S. Please note that all funds raised are going to Cure Cancer Australia Foundation as I am paying for the trip myself.
P.P.S. You are donating Australian Dollars!