TAOISEACH Enda Kenny officially launched a world record attempt on Kilimanjaro that will involve 140 secondary students who are taking on the challenge for Crumlin Children’s Hospital.
On August 24, teachers, parents and students will be joining the founder of Chernobyl International, Adi Roche, Dr Padraig Sheeran from the Intensive Care Unit of Crumlin Children’s Hospital and well known Irish climber Ian McKeever on the top of Africa’s highest peak in a bid to raise e100,000.
“We have a backlog of children each desperately fighting for their lives for life saving cardiac operations borne out of the devastation that the Chernobyl nuclear disaster left in its wake 25 years ago,
? Adi said.
“On our very own doorstep we have an Intensive Care Unit that needs to find funds to keep its life saving equipment in operation.
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The novel record attempt will be the final climb in a continuing series of school based expeditions this year and follows in the wake of the incredibly successful first ever Irish school based trips to climb Africa’s highest peak that took place in the summer of 2011.
The 155 students, teachers represented the single largest group to successfully summit in the history of the Kilimanjaro National Park.
The Taoiseach was delighted to lend his support, saying:
“It’s vitally important that we equip our teenagers today with life skills that will stand to them in the future. These skills will teach them to think for themselves and most importantly teach them to be proud of themselves.
“When you prepare to climb a mountain such as Kilimanjaro, acquiring such life skills becomes a part of your journey. A journey that teaches you to break things into small manageable pieces so that you may face whatever challenges you may meet along the way in your own lives with renewed optimism and a sense of hope.
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Irish climber McKeever, who together with his African counterpart Samuel Kinsonga, trained and guided the past 10 expeditions, explained the rational behind the record attempt and just what the Irish students are hoping to gain from their experiences this summer in Africa.
“Kilimanjaro is unique,
? he said.
“It is perhaps the only mountain in the world that offers a relatively safe and manageable opportunity to reach the summit of one of the continent’s highest peaks.
“Our 12-week training programme is designed to allow students to grow as people from a physical, psychological and human perspective. The support from our sponsors, Liquid Spatone helps us to ensure that each climber has the required levels of haemoglobin, iron and ferritin required to make this summit at altitude. The whole journey empowers them, teaches them to think for themselves and helps them to believe in themselves.”
McKeever is no stranger to breaking climbing records having held the world record for the seven summit back in 2007.
The training programme that prepares the Irish students and adults is about far more than achieving a simple summit.
As Dr Sheeran explained:
“Each student partakes in an intense preparation plan that we call the
‘Broccoli Programme.’ It helps them prepare mentally through training and climbing work and physiologically through the use of bloods and proper nutritional support that enables their immune systems to strengthen accordingly.
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The intention of the programme is to equip teenage students with the necessary skills to face all manner of challenges in their lives, to enlighten them about teamwork and most importantly to provide them with the confidence and the self esteem to know that anything in life is possible with properly channelled belief, desire and motivation.
Anyone still wishing to take part may contact Miriam Forde at the Chernobyl International offices on 021-4312999 or email mforde@ chernobyl-ireland.com