Over the past year, Lisa has undertaken a gruelling training campaign, including walking the Inca Trail and Three Peaks Challenge. But nothing prepared her for Mount Kilimanjaro. The 19,000 foot high, sleeping volcano in Tanzania is the highest free standing mountain in the world and every year, hundreds of people become seriously ill and many die attempting the climb. Temperatures plummet to minus 20C at night and the lack of oxygen makes walking at the slowest pace very difficult, even for the fittest of trekkers.
Lisa said: “I’m not good with heights and I don’t find mountaineering easy. It would have been simpler for me to do a charity run instead. But I wanted to test myself, like my Nan was tested. I wanted to do something that would make me suffer a little, so that I could get a tiny sense of some of the huge suffering she went through for all those years.”
Lisa’s grandmother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over 20 years ago and finally succumbed to the illness in 2012. Having had a very close relationship with her Nan, Lisa watched as the disease slowly took hold and when she died, Lisa was moved to do something to help ease the suffering of others with the same condition.
Parkinson’s affects one in every 500 people and the condition does not receive anywhere near the funding that goes into cancer and heart disease research. The Cure Parkinson’s Trust has launched a strategy to try to find a cure and Lisa has been campaigning to support them to help future generations.
Lisa is relieved the challenge is over and inspired to do more: “If someone ordinary like me can achieve this massive challenge, then anyone can do it!”
If you would like to contribute Lisa’s fundraising go to: www.doitforcharity.com/lisalyonfindacureforparkinsons
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For further information, please contact:louise.gosling@addenbrookes.nhs.uk tel: 01223 586 730
Communications Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ
www.cuh.org.uk
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A&E nurse conquers Mount Kilimanjaro
5 November 2014
CUH Addenbrooke’s nurse, Lisa Lyon, has completed a gruelling climb of the highest mountain in the world. The A&E nurse has been raising money for The Cure Parkinson’s Trust and the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and has so far raised more than £4,000.