ONCE left paralysed from a rare neurological disorder, Letterkenny man John Wilkie celebrated his good health by climbing to the summit of Africa’s highest mountain at the weekend.
John was part of an expedition team which reached the top of Kilimanjaro on Saturday morning.
As part of the challenge, John is raising much needed funds for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
It’s a wonderful achievement by the popular Karate instructor who was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder where the body’s immune system damages nerves.
In 2019, he was on medication and could barely walk.
He underwent a hip replacement operation and as part of his recovery he began walking alongside Mountain Guide and International Expedition Leader Jason Black.
Very quickly the conversation about climbing Kilimanjaro came up.
Months of training and preparation would follow and along the way, John has been raising support and awareness for his chosen charity, the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
At 6.30am on Saturday, John’s gruelling challenge was completed when he reached the summit of one of the world’s most famous mountains.
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