They’ve done it! Our team have reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. 26 out of our group of 28 have managed the climb. All here at the Children’s Medical and Research Foundation are extremely proud of our team of climbers. They have faced a tremendous challenge head on and have made all their supporters across the country extremely proud.

While thinking today of their hiker buddy Adam who sings “Whiskey in the Jar” with Darren Holden and the High Kings on the single that has just been released in aid of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, the group managed to tackle those last few grueling meters.

It was not an easy task and many if not all were hit extremely hard by the altitude sickness. Well done to all who took on this grueling task to raise funds and awareness for the sick children of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. 

We will be at the airport at 10am on Monday morning (the 18th) to welcome the group home. We ask anyone and everyone who would like to welcome the group home to join us on Monday morning.

If you would like to show your support by donating to the hospital or by signing up to “kinda” climb Kili please log on to www.climbforkids.ie e-mail climbforkids@cmrf.org or locall 1890 507 508

Edel O’Malley the Director of Operations here at CMRF managed to have a hurried telephone call with Sarah and Johann today. The team while thinking today of their Hiker Buddy Adam, managed to get passed the Barranco Wall.

picture taken from Flickr

The team were due to reach camp at around 4pm and to be in their tents by 6pm for a few hours sleep before beginning their night time walk to reach the summit at dawn tomorrow morning.

Conditions have gotten harder now. Sleep is almost impossible as with the Diamox (altitude sickness tablets) everyone needs to go to the toilet regularly and with icicles hanging from the tents that’s not an easy feat.

One of our fundraisers was made turn back as the altitude sickness and the freezing temperatures were just too much to take. 

Everyone is looking forward to reaching the summit in the morning. Satellite positioning willing we will be able to hear them on the Ryan Tubridy show giving a live interview on how it feels to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

To support our team by either donating or siging up to “kinda” climb Kili with the team log onto www.climforkids.ie e-mail climbforkids@cmrf.org or locall 1890 507 508

At lunch time today the group had just reached 4,600 meters! Everyone is starting to find it tough as the air is very thin and breathing has become a challenge. It gets very cold at night and the group are finding it very hard to sleep but they are trying to keep themselves going by thinking today of their Hiker Buddy Kayleigh and all the hardships she and her family face day in and day out at Crumlin Hospital.

Thinking of Kayleigh really helps lift the team’s spirit and despite the nausea, headaches and upset tummy’s (as a result of the altitude sickness) the group are still determined to push on and make it to the summit on Friday morning.

Tomorrow’s walk is a big one as they have to tackle the “Barranco Wall” which has been known to knock a few people out of the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, so here’s hoping our team can all pull through it.

One of our celebs Karl Spain (comedian) had to turn back today. Karl has diabetes and he was afraid he had taken too much sugar. Rather than going on and jeopardising the rest of the team as well as his own health he turned back. Karl has touched base with us here at CMRF and is fine, in fact he has just learned that due to the challenge of the climb he hadn’t taken enough sugar!

To support the rest of our team of now 27 climbers as they face the tough challenges ahead you can log onto www.climbforkids.ie and make a donation or sign up to “kinda” climb Kili with the group. You can also e-mail climbforkids@cmrf.org or locall 1890 507 508.

Today I managed to have a quick conversation with Sarah and Johann both staff members of The Children’s Medical and Research Foundation. They are having serious technical issues and were unable to do some of their scheduled interviews today. The only phone they have that still works is the satellite phone but unfortunately the satellite keeps moving and dropping their signal!

After a long days walk thinking of their Hiker Buddy Colm the group finally set up camp for their first sleep on the mountain. Some of our fundraisers found it hard to drift off to sleep but that could have been due to the sing song that was taking place in the tent next door. Darren Holden sang the night away with one of our long time fundraisers Pat Cunningham who accompanied him on guitar. They even sang “Whiskey in the Jar” for Hiker Buddy Adam who is featured on Darren’s single which is now at no 6 in the charts after Darren’s interview on the Late Late show with Ryan Tubridy. We are hoping that this single will be pushed up to no 1 for summit day on Friday. If you wish to help push Darren’s single with Adam to the number 1 spot you can do so by downloading it from itunes.

Everyone was up at 6.30am and ready to leave the camp by 7.30am this morning. Breakfast consisted of nice warm porridge and tea. As they reached the 3,800 feet mark at lunch time some of the group began to experience tingles in their hands and feet which is a direct result of the altitude. Everyone is taking plenty of Diamox to combat the altitude sickness so fingers crossed that it works for them all. When things get tough today they will be thinking of their Hiker Buddy Jack and the struggles he and his family face.

The sky this morning was bright and blue, but this afternoon the heavens opened and soaked our team to the bone. The views are spectacular and our camera man “Holly” and director Micheal Sheridan are getting plenty of footage for our documentary.

To help support our team of 28 fundraisers as they climb up Mount Kilimanjaro why not sign up to take part in our National Pedometer Challenge and “kinda” climb Killi. You can do this by logging on to www.climbforkids.ie e-mailing climbforkids@cmrf.org or Locall 1890 507 508

The brave team from Crumlin arrived safe and sound in Moshi at 8pm Saturday evening, and were in their hotel the Protea Hotel Aishi Machame at 9pm, where they were fed watered and hit their beds tired from an early morning start and long day traveling.

The next morning was spent being briefed by the local guide Simon and the Action Challenge team, and learning how best to pack their bags for the trek up the mountain. The team now have three bags. One day bag for up the mountain, one mountain bag with various essentails for survival and a third bag for the last night when they return to the hotel filled with clean clothes and hopefully shower gel!

A medical briefing was also given to the Team from the doctor and everyone had individual consultations with him to be sure they were ready to begin their challenge.

Sile Seoige was on to the Daily Mail and Ruth Scott was talking to Padyy McKenna from 2FM to give them an insight into how they are feeling now that they can see the large mountain that will be their challenge first thing in the morning!

Best of luck to the team of 28 brave men and women as they begin the challenge of a lifetime all to raise funds and awareness for the sick children of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.

To support the “Team Crumlin” on their journey or to sign up to “kinda” climb Kili with the group please log onto www.climbforkids.ie e-mail climbforkids@cmrf.org or locall 1890 507 508

View from 25D en route to Amsterdam!

Climb for Kids - Mount Kilimanjaro (6 days to summit)

Sat 9th October

And so we are off! 4am arrival in Dublin airport for everyone and first stop Amsterdam. No X factor for one week only girls!

Posted by Johann

Climb for Kids - Mount Kilimanjaro (9 days to summit)

Wednesday 6th October

Sile Seoige & Kathryn Thomas drop into Ray Foley on Today FM to talk about their Kilimanjaro climb. Scroll to 56 minutes in for the interview and check out www.climbforkids.ie for more information.

Climb for Kids - Mount Kilimanjaro (10 days to summit)

Tues 5th October

TV Presenters Kathryn Thomas and Sile Seoige together with Communications Executive Sarah Benson join Daithi O’Se & Claire Byrne on the Daily Show on RTE. See www.climbforkids.ie for more information.