A MAN is to scale mountains in memory of his mother after fighting back from a painful spinal condition.

Jason Hill, 45, from Caerwys, is to tackle the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, Toubkal and Ras, and eventually the Mera Peak in the Himalayas, to raise money for Breast Cancer Now.

It is one of a series of challenges he will be undertaking as part of a five-year fundraising plan.

Mr Hill is aiming to scale some of the highest peaks in the world in February 2018, having overcome a spinal condition suffered 10 years ago.

Now he is ready to tackle his biggest challenge yet, in memory of his mother, Louisa Hill, who died of breast cancer age
43 in 1988 when Mr Hill was 16.

Two years ago Mr Hill took on the world’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, standing at just under 20,000ft, aged 43, the same age as his mother when she lost her battle with breast cancer.

He said: “I felt I had to do something special to honour my mum and in turn raise money for Breast Cancer Now.

“This as an extreme charity challenge, hard enough in the summer when most people attempt to reach the summit of Toubkal, the highest summit in the Atlas Mountains.

“But my last and hardest challenge will be climbing Mera Peak in the Himalayas at 21,500ft, so I need to develop my winter skills to give me the best chance of summiting.

“The drive is always to honour my mum’s memory and to raise as much as I can for Breast Cancer Now.

“With Gift Aid we are currently at around £6,300, so it is going well.

“I am hoping to push for over £7,000, plus the Gift Aid for this challenge and then further for July 2018 when I fly to Iceland to compete in the Iceland Ultra Challenge.

“That is two trekking marathons in two days across a difficult volcanic trail, which will involve lots of hills and the occasional river crossing. Distance-wise this will really be an exciting, but testing challenge.

“I have a spinal condition which is multi-level disc degeneration which basically means the bottom of my spine has no protection as my discs have worn out.

“In 2007/2008 I was in such pain I
could only walk a short distance before being in a lot of pain and going numb
down my left leg.

“In 2009 after being told at Oswestry Hospital they couldn’t operate, I found a surgeon, Gordon Finley, in the Walton Neuro Hospital, Liverpool and he was willing to operate on my spine.

“It was a success - he and his team at the Walton gave me back my life.

“I went from not being able to walk 500m without being in severe pain to climbing 20,000ft mountains. It’s taken a lot of hard work, but I am positive I will succeed with my five-year plan.”

He added: “I am hoping some local companies want to support my charity and my drive to succeed and will be willing to back my Himalayan challenge in 2019/2020 to summit Mera Peak.

“It will cost over £3,000, I am financially covering my next challenge to Morocco but I need business sponsors to help me with the expedition costs and to raise awareness and funds for Breast Cancer Now.”

l For details visit www.facebook.
com/kilitrek/