Rochdale man raises £1,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Trust

A Rochdale man has raised £1,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust after conquering Germany’s highest mountain.

Stephen Shea took on Zugspitze in a two-day hike on 18 and 19 June, with the peak of the mountain 2,962m above sea level. He was joined by a team of nine others from Rochdale, some of whom raised money for Macmillan nurses.

He said: “The second day was the hardest. We climbed around 4,500 ft in under seven hours to get to the top.

“I've raised £1,000 so far and would like to get to £1,500 if possible.”

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. Stephen was aged just nine and says it was “very rare” for someone with the disease to reach the age Michaela did.

 

 

 

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.

He added: “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.

Donations can still be made via Stephen’s GoFundMe page here.