ALASKA
In June 2000 I took on on a huge personal challenge, for me, in aid of SENSE The National Deafblind and Rubella Association (founded in 1955,) which gives help and support to people who are both deaf and blind. There are over 23,000 people in the UK affected. Some are born with the disability, ( often due to rubella in pregnancy) some develop it as older people. SENSE charity gives support to them and their families and helps those affected to live as independently as possible. SENSE also helps deaf/blind people living overseas such as India, Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America, where this is a major problem
My challenge was to take part in the trek in the Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska. This involved: ice climbing, bush whacking and ford crossing, glacier exploration and travel through bear country, through one of the last wildernesses in the world. We walked for about 8 hours each day for a 8 days and camped for 8 nights. (With no mod. cons. at all) I carried all my food supplies for a week, on my back. This weighed about 20kg. When I applied to go on the trek it would have been impossible for me to lift such a weight! However I have filled a rucksack with books and began to train for this event! I trained by walking regularly on the cliffs of Cornwall carrying my backpack with increasing loads, followed by Yoga stretches. Having a Life Coach helped me to do this and achieve the challenge of fund-raising too. I only dreamt of doing something like this before. I was 56, then, not overwhelmingly fit and preferred hotels with en suite bathrooms, to tents and trenches...and having to burn my toilet paper after use with waterproof matches! For the Alaskan Challenge I had to raise over £2000 in donations. These challenges are a major source of funds for SENSE and also provide a raised awareness of the charity and the fantastic role they play in improving the life of so many people affected by this unimaginable double disability. Last year over a million pounds was raised for SENSE in this way.
Contact me Susan E. Kersley to arrange a coaching session
coach@youcanchangeyourlife.co.uk
01736 810 079