Africa 2010

Watching the world cup over this past week has really got me focused on my own trip to Africa in just THREE MONTHS time.... well in between games anyway.

Starting to panic a bit now, thinking about the need to up my training, make sure I've got all the right gear, go see the Doc for some jabs and anti-altitude sickness meds and most importantly of all, raise as much money as I possibly can.

Its on that basis that I want to remind you why I am taking on this challenge.

I've never done anything like this before in my life, and I think its a pretty safe bet to assume I never will again. I have certainly never asked for sponsorship of anything since I left the Cubs (admittedly that was later than most, I struggled to give up the woggle).

I decided to take on this challenge the day after I had major knee surgery in October 2008, and have used this target as a motivation for me to complete all the physiotherapy sessions and join a gym to make sure I recover properly.

It was just a few months after this that my Mum was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Seeing the way she has coped with the suffering she has had to endure, with such dignity and strength (as my father-in-law had also done) made me feel a bit of a wally about making such a fuss about my knee, so the natural next step for me was to use my challenge to raise money for a Cancer based charity.

I did consider the large cancer charity's who do marvelous work for millions of people, and continue to give us all hope that their contributions to research will one day result in a cure for the disease. When I decided to choose a smaller, local charity it wasn't in anyway a snub to those fantastic organisations, it was simply that I had witnessed first hand the benefits the Pickering Centre brings and how much difference just a few thousand pounds make to their cause.

I fully appreciate that this is the worst possible time to ask you to put your hand into your pocket to sponsor anyone, and depending on what Mr Osborne says next Tuesday, it may get even worse.... but if you can spare a few shillings towards this cause, I really would greatly appreciate it.

I am funding the trip and trek entirely myself, so every penny you donate goes directly to the Pickering Centre.

This will be my last War & Peace entry to try and encourage more sponsorship I promise, just the odd subtle reminder from now on :-) I'll concentrate on the climb itself in next months blog, by which time England will have won the world cup (cough).

COME ON ENGLAND.

KilimanjaroKev.