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| 18 Dec 2019 | |
| Giving back |
| Phil Cheveley (PS 84-89) and his son Tom, a current pupil at Parkside, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in memory of Suanu Saro-Wiwa (PS 13-18) in October, raising funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). Suanu, who suffered from a genetic heart condition, was just 18 years old when he died of a heart attack during a football match in Canada last year. “When you are at boarding school you have that closeness with everybody, and so it hit the school really hard,” Tom explains. “My dad did the climb a few years ago with a friend who recently recovered from a brain tumour and had life-saving surgery. From that point I wanted to do the climb and to do it for a charity.” The journey began on October 20, and involved a challenging, six-day trek to reach the peak. "Having previously climbed Kilimanjaro in 2015 with 5 fellow OTs: James Richardson (MH 84-89), Mark Wheeler (PS 84-89), Simon Aird (PS 84-89), Kieron Lumb (Sc 84-89) and Steve Everett (PH 84-89), I mistakenly thought that a second climb with Tom and our fellow climber, Simon Bailey, would be straightforward,” Phil adds. Above: View from the summit “However, being five years older and significantly less fit, and confronted by some of the worst conditions that the local guides had encountered for a decade – gale force winds and snowstorms – the reality was rather more challenging. As a number of other groups abandoned their summit attempts in the face of the harsh conditions, our guide decided we would give it a shot. After nearly seven hours of doggedly trudging at a snail's pace up the mountain in the freezing pitch-black night, we were privileged to reach the summit in time to witness a glorious sunrise over East Africa. Not only were we delighted to be able to raise meaningful funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young, but there can be no better way for a parent to share an amazing week of adventure and interaction with a teenager, free from all the social and work distractions that modern technology facilitates – I would definitely recommend Kilimanjaro for the ultimate Wifi-free bonding experience!" Visit the pair’s giving page at: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TomCheveley |
