Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
From axe calamity to mountain climb
A TAYSIDE man who was taken to hospital after slicing his leg with an axe is to tackle one of the world’s biggest peaks in a fundraising bid.
Jamie Kinghorn, who works for pharmaceutical giant Glaxosmithkline (GSK), is set to take on Mount Kenya.
He will be joined by 40 other GSK employees from around the globe for the five-day trek.
Money generated from the attempt will be donated to Save the Children, with Jamie currently having collected £6,500 — with GSK matching all the money that employees raise.
The 43-year-old, who works as communications manager for GSK, today told the Tele that he was “excited but apprehensive” ahead of the trip on February 25.
He added that the money raised is going to be “life changing” for the charities’ benefactors.
He said: “Thousands of GSK employees were given the chance to apply and 40 people were chosen from around the world — I am the only one from Scotland who is doing it.
“I have never done anything like this before. When I found out I was going to be doing it, I started training by climbing Ben Nevis and other hills.
“One of the hardest parts of the trip is going to be dealing with the altitude because it is 5km above sea level.
“I am both excited and apprehensive about it all.
“The fact that the trip is entirely funded from GSK, and that they are matching the total raised by each person, means that upwards of £200,000 will be donated to Save the Children.
“That kind of money can be life changing for people, which is extra motivation to raise as much as possible.”
In April, Jamie, from Montrose, ended up in hospital battling the bacterial infection cellulitis after slicing open his leg with an axe while chopping firewood.
Doctors feared it would develop into septicaemia — blood poisoning — with amputation being the worst-case scenario. Jamie had to attend the unit every day for two weeks for emergency antibiotic treatment.
Mount Kenya, or Mount Kirinyaga, is an extinct volcano in central Kenya, just south of the equator. It is Africa’s second-tallest mountain after Kilimanjaro, with it reaching 17,058ft.
The group will be supported by local guides and camp each night on the side of the mountain.
The fundraising will help support Save the Children’s programme in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
After the trek, Jamie is set to enjoy a couple of extra days in Kenya — including going on a safari.
He added: “I thought that I would be as well making the most of the chance because I am going to be there anyway.”
People who want to contribute to the effort can visit ammado.com/community/jamiestrek.