Cheshire nurse climbs Kilimanjaro to support A&E and honour her Mum

A Cheshire Nurse has successfully scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, in memory of her late mother, and to raise funds for Macclesfield Hospitals Emergency Department.

Sister and Training Facilitator Donna Rees, 52, who has worked in the Emergency Department for 25 years, said:

“This was without question the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.

“The days before summit night had already left me exhausted and cold. And after eight days on the mountain, with little sleep and hours of walking every day, every part of me was sorely tested.

“At 10pm on the final night we set off into the pitch-black on our final push for the summit. Near the top I was very much running on fumes and without my incredible guides there’s no chance I’d have made it.

“At one point all I wanted to do was lie down in the cold and have a nap, which isn’t exactly a great survival strategy at 5,000m. And at nearly every corner we saw someone heading down, or worse being taken down, and the rescue helicopters were practically running an Uber service up there.

“After more than ten hours of solid climbing I finally staggered to Stella Point at 8.36am, which is one the three recognised summits on Kilimanjaro.

“And of course, after ten hours of dragging myself uphill, I discovered the cruel punchline of mountaineering, what goes up must also come down, and four hours later I crawled back into base camp only to be told we had another seven hours to go to descend to 3,000m for the night. At that point, my legs were filing a formal complaint!

“I’m so glad, and slightly shocked, that I’ve done it, but let me say clearly, never again. Once is enough!”

Donna has led the ED’s education programme for the past nine years and her epic climb has so far raised £1,800, smashing the original target of £1,500, towards training resources and development opportunities for her colleagues.

But the challenge was also a very personal one for Donna.

She said:

“I took on Kilimanjaro in memory of my wonderful mum, as a tribute to her. She would have been incredibly proud to see me take on something like this and I carried her memory with me every step of the way, especially in the hardest moments. She was always my biggest supporter, and the climb was for her.”

People can still support Donna by donating vier her Just Giving account:  

Donna Rees is fundraising for East Cheshire NHS Trust Charitable Fund

Pictured - Donna Rees at Stella Point, one of the three one of the three recognised summits on Kilimanjaro.