Last year I decided I needed a lifestyle change to combat the onset of middle age and being generally unfit and overweight, so I kicked the smoking into touch, drank a little less and got active and lost a little weight along the way. All very good, but I needed to do something that would challenge me and keep me on the straight and narrow.

The challenge I have set is to climb Kilimanjaro and as part of the training for this I will aslo be climbing plenty of hills and mountains across the UK, and France joined by good friends Dave Hesketh, Neil Howard, Ian Waller, Andy Fredson and Dan Mensik (he does'nt know yet), Gez Wend, Richie Hesketh, Paul Rigby, Mark Howard and  Mark Hargreaves.       

So why am I telling you all this? Well, we were thinking, if we are going to do this, why don’t we do some good while we are at it.

That’s where Karan comes in…

Karan’s Story

Having been moved by a documentary on channel 5 about people suffering from brain injuries and tumours (Brain Hospital: Saving Lives) and the heroic battles they encounter everyday, I wanted to help in some way, but It was Karan’s story the wife of a friend that resonates and moved me so much.   

Karan Waller is a young mother of two beautiful children who is suffering from low-grade astrocytoma (brain tumours to you and me) and has done since 2009, and even after numerous operations, Karen continues to her battle against this devastating illness as the tumours can never be fully removed without inflicting serious damage to the brain.

In order not to damage Karan’s memory and reasoning, she needs to remain awake and answer questions during the surgery, Karan can only be described as courageous, fighting her battle with such dignity under such circumstances, it is truly inspiring.

The impact on Karan and her family can not be underestimated, affected by her illness, at one point unable to remember and do the most simple of day to day tasks and not able to recognise her children and the people closest to her, it has been and uphill battle for both Karan and her family, just to regain some sense of normality. But Karan and her family are not alone…

The Astrofund charity provides support to people like Karan and their family offering emotional and practical support as well as raising awareness and funding for research for the most innovative neuro-oncology research centres in the UK.

How you can help.

We need to raise awareness as well as valuable funds for research. As part of my training I plan to climb numerous hills and mountains across the UK and France before my assent of Kilimanjaro in January 2014

Along the way, some incredible friends will be supporting me in my preparation, you may have been led to this page by them and you may also know that they will be joining me when I climb Ben Nevis in September.

We are all raising valuable funds for the Astrofund and we need your help, so please donate what you can, or just take a few minutes to find out more and follow the links to read about the great work the Astrofund Charity is doing as well as a link to Karan’s story and the C5 documentary .

The Kilimanjaro climb is self funded by myself as is the Ben Nevis climb by the other fundraisers, so anything raised will go straight to people who need it most.

Best wishes

Chris Collings & Friends  

For further information please follow the links:  

http://www.channel5.com/shows/brain-hospital-saving-lives/episodes/episode-3-471

http://www.astrofund.org.uk

http://www.astrofund.org.uk/lifeStories.php