Every week in the UK at least 12, apparently fit and healthy young people die of undiagnosed cardiac conditions. This happened to friend James Jennings's daughter Mia, a teenage Swimming Instructor, with her whole life in front of her. James and his wife Louise are committed to helping Cardiac Risk in the Young, and although my Cuillin Ridge Traverse is complete, I would like to help their cause.

With your donation, CRY can reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD) by working with cardiologists and family doctors to establish good practice and appropriate screening facilities to promote and protect the cardiac health of our young.

This is my story: Many folks know that I've been working on my mountaineering challenge for a few years now, but it all started 60 years ago. As a young schoolboy who had shown some promise as a rock climber, I was paired up with an instructor called Eric Beard. Beardy took me under his wing for the day, rock climbing, mountaineering, and fell-running, which turned out to be a seminal day for me in the mountains. I knew, from that experience, I would be a climber. I was to learn later that Beardie had just smashed the Cuillin Ridge Traverse record, as well as many other mountain challenges; but it would be 59 years before I had a crack at the Ridge. Last year Scott Kirkhope and I were twice forced off the Ridge with the weather. But this year the conditions were perfect.

I twisted Scott Kirkhope's arm by suggesting adding Pinnacle Ridge to our traverse; a classic climb that is a good day out in its own right; it would make it a 3-day traverse, but the weather prospects made that a realistic option. The climbing was fantastic but the 3 days did take its toll. The last day almost got the better of me, the heavy sac giving me neck spasms. Scott went beyond the call of duty, with his Sherpa tactics; determined that I finished the ridge. It was an experience I will never forget, with a cloud inversion on Saturday morning that nearly brought me to tears. The Cuillin Ridge Traverse is viewed as the toughest mountaineering challenge in the UK, with only 10% completing it, I've yet to hear of anyone preceding it with Pinnacle Ridge.

By supporting CRY you will help save young lives from these potentially fatal cardiac conditions.

See how your support can help by visiting www.c-r-y.org.uk