Many people have things on their bucket list, but it isn’t usually an 18,000 ft trek to Base Camp in Mount Everest.
But that is exactly what Laois man Colm Swayne is doing next month in aid of Down Syndrome Centre Midlands.
“I am a bit extreme,” said the Stradbally native who now lives in Portlaoise.
“The climb was always on my bucket list. I have been preparing for this for the last three years. I have been training properly for the last year,” he said.
“I decided to do it for Down Syndrome as I always had an affinity towards them,” he explained.
Down Syndrome Centre Midlands aims to create an environment dedicated to providing support and services to children with Down syndrome, their families and carers thereby helping them to reach their full potential and a brighter future.
Colm feels strongly that they should get the same opportunity as anyone else and this was one of the reasons he chose the charity.
His undertaking involves an 18 day trip to Kathmandu to do the 18,000ft trek to Base camp – Everest.
He is paying for all his own costs, so any money raised will go directly to the charity.
The trip is totally self funded by Colm and all money raised during the trek will be donated directly to the charity.
“A lot of people have empathy towards the Down Syndrome Midland Centre,” Colm said.
The fact that he has covered all his costs should also mean that people will be more disposed to supporting him.
“I am getting nothing out of this and everything will go back to them,” he explained.
Although he now works as a prison officer, Colm spent over ten years in the army which he believes will stand to him. He should get used to the altitude quickly enough having spent time abroad with the army serving in places such as the Lebanon.
However, he is leaving nothing to chance. He recently climbed Croagh Patrick but says the serious preparation was done a long time ago.
“I am really looking forward to it. I have had all my inoculations. I did Croagh Patrick recently, but that was only a bit of fun. I trekked in the Ukraine and Scotland to prepare for this,” he said.
He flies out on September 6th and after a day acclimatising, will start his climb. He will return to Ireland on September 23.
A target of €5,000 has been set to raise.
And if Colm wins the Lotto anytime soon, he says he will be back to trek all the way to the top of Mount Everest.
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