A British dad is set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro as a tribute to his son. Derbyshire native James Vincent said his son was left deaf at the age of just three years old after contracting meningitis.
The 41-year-old now plans to do the difficult scale, carrying a weight equivalent to his son on his back to raise funds for the Meningitis Research Foundation. Vincent, who will be carrying 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in the climb, said that when his son is older, he wants to show him that no matter what challenges are thrown at you, you can accomplish anything.
Vincent, who hails from Borrowash, said his son had woken up poorly back in December 2021 with loss of appetite, a fever, and was extremely lethargic. The family took the child to a hospital where he was put on medication.
Vincent's son lucky to survive meningitis scare
They were later told the boy was lucky to have survived from the illness. He had cochlear implants in April 2022. The kid is now making good progress and is learning to walk and talk again.
Vincent, who is a human resources director, told BBC that he never felt more helpless as a dad during the time his son was sick. According to Vincent, that is the reason why he is climbing Kilimanjaro with the weight of his son on his back.
He added that if they are able to help even just one family, so they don't have to go through what they have been through, that would be amazing. Vincent plans to set off later for the momentous climb and said it would take six days to reach the summit of the legendary mountain.
Vincent will be joined by two family friends in the climb. The trio has already raised more than £6,000 for their Kilimanjaro adventure. They are hoping to reach at least £10,000 with the help of eight more of Vincent's friends who will be climbing Snowden three times each in September to cover the equivalent distance of Kilimanjaro. They will be scaling the mountain also with 20 kilograms on their backs.
Ian Beningfield, who is the head of fundraising for the charity, said that they are delighted that James and all his friends have chosen to support their charity. He added that they wish them all the best for their challenges and they look forward to seeing James conquer Kilimanjaro in what promises to be the experience of a lifetime.
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What causes meningitis?
According to Mayo Clinic, meningitis is an inflammation of the fluid and membranes surrounding a person's brain and spinal cord. The swelling from meningitis typically triggers signs and symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, and a headache.
Most cases of meningitis that are recorded in the United States are caused by a viral infection, but parasitic, bacterial, and fungal infections are other causes. Some cases of meningitis improve without treatment in a few weeks but others can be life-threatening and require emergency antibiotic treatment.
