My name is Jerry Gore and I am a 51 yr old insulin-dependent diabetic dad. Together with Twid Turner and Gaz Parry I am going to attempt three of the Alps’ toughest routes this August and I want you to support me by donating to a cause I am 100% committed to.
The routes
Divine Providence on Mont Blanc – 1000m., highest and hardest climb in Europe - Fr.7c at 4,000m.
The Fish, S. Face of the Marmolada – Dolomites – 1000m. of E4-E6 trad climbing
La Vida Es Silbar, N. Face of the Eiger – 900m., Fr.7c – 25 pitches, average grade Fr.6c+
Less than 20 climbers in the World have done all three routes. No Brit has to date. I have been training for two years for this. Injecting myself up to 8 times a day to get the insulin I need has been the easy part!
The cause
10 Nepalese children with diabetes registered at Patan Hospital, Central Nepal, who can’t afford insulin and who without it will die this year. If I can get just 1,000 climbers to contribute £10 in total, or £3 for each climb, the money raised will buy enough insulin to give back to these young people their lives and their hope. Since my diagnosis as a diabetic in 2001 it has taken me most of the intervening 10 years to master this complicated condition involving up to 8 insulin injections and 6 blood sugar tests daily, weighing all my carbohydrates, and severe night time hypos that have reduced my family to tears on many occasions. Plus I need many expensive pieces of diabetic equipment totalling €6,000. Imagine what it is like living in a Third World Country where day to day survival is difficult, let alone dealing with something like Diabetes!
The charity
Insulin for Life (IFL) is a not-for-profit global organisation based in Australia (www.insulinforlife.org) that donates life-saving insulin to countries in need. In Nepal insulin is unsubsidized, and so unaffordable. Many adults and children die as a result. However in most first world countries there is a lot of excess stock which IFL relies on, receiving donated insulin that would otherwise be destroyed. The charity is run largely by volunteers, with low operating costs. Handling and transportation costs are paid for by donations or sponsors. By keeping costs low IFL has saved thousands of lives since it was founded it 1984.
Please donate now and mail your friends. You can send money by credit card using PayPal. You do not need to have a PayPal account. You can donate via my Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/JerrysInsulinChallenge
Or donate direct via the IFL website:
http://www.insulinforlife.org/help-us.html
In the box marked Insulin For Life: Nepal Project”, select the amount you want to donate from £5 upwards, then press “Give”.
IFL financial accounts are independently audited in compliance with Australian Law.
I hope to start the climbs at the beginning of August. If you would like to follow the challenge and sponsor me after each climb, or learn about the people you are helping, you can read my weekly reports on either of these links:
http://www.facebook.com/JerrysInsulinChallenge
http://www.alpbase.com/
Thank you for your support. My Nepalese friends and I are really going to need it!
Jerry Gore
AlpBase.com