SKIBBEREEN solicitor Liz Murphy summited Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, and raised more than €6,500 for Cancer Connect.
Liz set herself the challenge to raise awareness Breast Check – a service that provided her with an early diagnosis and allowed her to complete her treatment successfully.
It was her oncologist who recommended that she take up walking several evenings a week and that is how Liz got the idea to climb Kilimanjaro.
At 7am on the morning of September 11th Liz reached the summit with a group of 15 others who travelled to Tanzania with the ethical travel company Earth’s Edge.
‘Usually, I was put in front because the group went as quick as the slowest person, but I dropped behind a little bit on the last day,’ said Liz.
‘I walked with my guide, Mariam, who was amazing, and the group waited for us to summit.
‘We had very good weather. There was no chill factor on top of the mountain.’
Liz said she was too tired to have any feelings of elation at the top. Truthfully, what crossed her mind was: ‘It’s done!’
‘It was the maddest thing I ever did,’ said Liz.
When asked if she had discovered a passion for hill walking, Liz deadpanned: ‘I will never go up a hill again as long as I live.’
Everyone was pleased to summit because some of the group – including some of those who were extremely fit – suffered from altitude sickness.
‘I was the oldest and the least fit but I didn’t suffer from sickness,’ said Liz. ‘Having said that, I was as bad down below as I was up top.’
So far, Liz has raised more than €6,500 for Cancer Connect through the Liz Murphy Kilimanjaro Challenge on the idonate page, but the fund will remain open until October 21st for anyone who would like to make a donation.
