Where the Money goes...

Teenage Cancer Trust builds specialist units in NHS hospitals across the UK. It costs between £500,000 and £3,500,000 to build and equip these units, depending upon the type, size and location of the unit. Teenage Cancer Trust sets up family support networks and holds an annual conference which attracts over 400 young people with cancer each year. The charity also funds the first Professor of Teenage Cancer Medicine, runs courses for medical professionals at all levels, and hosts the world's only medical conference focusing solely on cancer and the adolescent.

Teenage Cancer Trust provides what teenagers and young adults have themselves told the charity they want:

• Rapid access to cancer services offering accurate diagnosis and a competent assessment
• Clear and accurate information
• Evidence based treatment with access to clinical trials
• The best chance of survival with the least possible physical cost
• A high standard of age specific facilities
• Access to staff that understand them and their needs
• Peer support
• Psychological, social, educational, and employment support
• The best treatment as close to home as possible.

By supporting my attempt to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro, you will also be supporting the charity's aim of building enough specialist units by 2012 that every teenager  with cancer can be treated on one of these units. At present only about half of teenagers in the UK are within reach of a Teenage Cancer Trust unit.

Teenage Cancer Trust currently has specialist units at:

• Birmingham: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Young Adult Unit
• Birmingham: Birmingham Children's Hospital
• Cardiff: University Hospital for Wales
• Edinburgh : Royal Hospital for Sick Children
• Glasgow: Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Yorkhill)
• Glasgow: Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
• Leeds: St James's University Hospital Teenage Unit
• Leeds: St James’s University Hospital Young Adult Unit
• Liverpool: Alder Hey Children's Hospital
• London: University College Hospital
• Manchester: The Christie Hospital NHS Trust
• Newcastle: The Great North Children's Hospital
• Sheffield: Weston Park and Royal Hallamshire Hospitals
• Southampton: Southampton General Hospital

On previous treks (see my Trekking CV) I have raised over £18,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust - but this is the highest trek and I am setting my highest fundraising target - £3,000.

My most recent trek was to the Sapitwa summit of the Mulanje massif in southern Malawi. This was said in some ways to be as challenging as Kilimanjaro - except (and it's a big exception) for the altitude.