Rochdale man to climb Germany's highest mountain to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis Trust

Stephen Shea

A man from Rochdale will climb Germany’s highest mountain later this year in order to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Stephen Shea, 48, will take on Zugspitze in a two-day hike in mid-June, with the peak of the mountain a remarkable 2,962m above sea level.

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is a charity close to Stephen’s heart, as he lost his eldest sister Michaela to the progressively debilitating disease aged just 16 in 1982. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition that causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system, causing lung infections and problems with digesting food. It is a lifelong condition and today, about half of people with cystic fibrosis will live past the age of 40.

Stephen has already climbed the likes of Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike but this is certain to be his biggest challenge yet, and he will be joined by five other locals when he visits Germany later this year.

He said: “My sister would have been 56 the other week, I was only 9 when she passed away. She lived to 16 which at the time was very rare.

“It’s obviously heartfelt to me, my children know that their children may get it, so it’s obviously something I want to raise money for as much as I can.”

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust funds research to treat and cure the condition, and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with cystic fibrosis.

Stephen has already raised more than £200 of his £1,000 target and you can donate on his fundraising page via GoFundMe.