For those of us who find climbing the stairs challenging, the all-action adventures of cousins Jessica Dobson and Tom Lewis are likely to put us to shame. The two Herts MS Therapy Centre supporters have recently spent five days in Africa climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and they loved every minute of it.
For Jess, who lives in Welwyn Garden City and is a teacher at Giles Junior School in Stevenage, and Tom, a Financial Advisor from St Albans, the trip was a dream come true. “It’s always been an ambition of mine to take it on,” Jess explained. “Luckily I persuaded Tom to take part as well!”
The climb involved taking in five different ecological climate zones – Cultivation Zone, Forest Zone, Heather-Moorland Zone, Alpine Desert Zone and Arctic Summit Climate Zone.
Jess, whose mum Mary has MS and is a regular client for oxygen therapy at the Centre, really enjoyed the final climb. “We left base camp at midnight and reached the summit at 7am to watch the sunrise. It was unforgettable.”
“It was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience,” Tom said. “We were ably supported by a fantastic team of local guides that got us up and down the mountain successfully.
“We also managed to squeeze in a two-day safari visiting the Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater which was spectacular. Jess is already planning a 12 day trek climbing Mount Everest next year!”