Why am I Trekking?

The Lily Foundation was founded in Lily's memory, having lost her battle to Mitochondrial Disease at just eight months old.

Over the last 12 years, I have witnessed how people close to me have devastatingly had their lives cut short. This has driven me to help in anyway I can and to do what others can't.

I will personally be climbing the Mount Toubkal trek in memory of Anna Lewis, a member of my family, who was a happy & healthy baby until January 2012 when she was suddenly admitted to GOSH. 8 weeks later she was diagnosed with Alpers disease, a rare Mitochondrial disease like Lily's. As there was, and still is, no known cure all that could be done was to keep Anna pain free and comfortable under GOSH’s wonderful and loving care. Sadly, Anna died on 1st April 2012 just 10.5 weeks after her first seizure.

I hope to raise as much as possible to support the families affected, the research and hopefully a future cure for Mitochondrial disease.

Please support as much as you can. It would mean so much to myself, my family, the team and the charity.

Thank you. Rupert.

Trekking Mt. Toubkal (4167m)

Day 1

Travel To Marrakech

Day 2

6-hour trek into the Azzaden Valley passing breathtaking high mountain scenery including Tizi n’Mzik at 2,450m, and the Ighouliden waterfalls before reaching our rest point for the night at Azib n’ Tamsoult.

Day 3

6-hour trek with a hearty climb out of the Azzaden Valley to the Toubkal refuge over the Aguelzim mountain pass at 3,600m.

Day 4

>8-hour trek. Up very early start to climb to the summit of Toubkal. As we pass the 4,000m mark the whole of the Atlas range opens up in front of us before we get a full, magnificent 360-degree panorama at the summit. The silence is remarkable, the High Atlas is unforgettable. Once we’ve had time to contemplate what we’ve just achieved, we head all the way back down to Aremd Village.

Day 5

Return to Marrakech

Day 6

Return to UK.

The Lily Foundation

The charity aims to give hope, answers and support to the many other children and families that face the challenges of this disease today.

Did you know every twenty minutes a child is born who will develop Mitochondrial Disease by the age of 16! There is no cure for this disease which is for many, debilitating and life limiting.

Please stand with us and fight Mitochondrial Disease and fight for hope.