A SON from Harlow is set to climb Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro in October 2018, in memory of his mother and to raise vital funding for St Clare Hospice, who cared for her during December 2016.

Daniel Mackay (40, from Harlow) will take the renowned Northern Circuit to Uhuru peak on Mount Kilimanjaro, starting on Tuesday 16th October 2018. Ascending to 5,895m above sea level over the course of the 9-day trek, Dan will climb 40 miles over 6 days to Uhuru peak, and then descend for 13 miles over 3 days.

Dan was inspired to take on this African adventure in aid of St Clare Hospice after the charity cared for his mother during December 2016.

Commenting on the care his mother and family received from St Clare, Dan said: “After a very, very bravely fought battle against an illness that plagued her for many years, my mum Barbara passed away at St Clare Hospice in December 2016. Although it was such a sad time, St Clare made it all as easy as it could be. The staff, the care, and the environment all made the experience bearable during what was such a difficult couple of days. From the first moment we stepped in, we were made to feel like St Clare was our home from home.”

Dan continued: “I just can’t praise the staff there highly enough, for the care Mum received in those last days and for how their compassionate support extended to us, too. The empathy and caring attitude of every single one of them, combined with the ability they have to make such a difficult time as bearable as possible, really does warrant the highest praise anyone could give. I personally will be eternally thankful to St Clare for everything.”

Explaining why he chose to take on Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of the hospice, Dan said: “The hospice is kind of like an adopted part of my family now. It’s a big event in your life, when a loved one dies, and it’s a really sad time. It’s hard to explain, but I just feel a strong connection to St Clare. Knowing that it’s largely funded by donations has just made our whole family want to give back, to say thank you to the people who helped us. The staff really cared for all of us.”

Dan continued: “I am taking on this challenge because I want to make a difference to others who are going through what we did. I want St Clare to be there in years to come, because people need it, and it makes a big difference to those who need it.”

On his Kilimanjaro challenge approaching in October 2018, Dan said: “I’m going to absolutely love climbing Kilimanjaro, and I’m so excited – it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. But it’s amazing that I’ll also be able to raise money for St Clare. The Northern Circuit is a lot quieter, and being 9 days gives a lot more time for acclimatisation and higher success rate. The lodge that I am staying in before and after the climb also uses all of its proceeds to fund a local school for orphans and children, and I will be spending a couple of days there meeting the teachers and children and doing a little volunteer work too.”

Daniel Mackay will begin his adventure on Tuesday 16th October 2018. To sponsor Dan and make a donation to St Clare Hospice, please visit his fundraising page at: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DanielMackay2

For more information on Dan’s Kilimanjaro trek, and for updates on his progress throughout training, please visit his Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/kilidan4stclare

If you would like to take on a challenge in aid of St Clare Hospice, please contact St Clare’s Challenges and Events Fundraiser, Emma Broadbent, on 01279 773754 or email [email protected]