Pride at boy’s Ben climb for cerebral palsy cash
A Seven-year-old boy with cerebral palsy has climbed Britain’s highest mountain, raising more than £8,000 in the process.
Caeden Thomson, from Corby, Northamptonshire, trekked the 4,411ft ascent to the top of Ben Nevis in Fort William in the Highlands on Saturday to raise money for his local NHS trust and disability equality charity Scope.
Caeden was born 12 weeks premature and has since undergone intense physiotherapy, but told his mother, Lisa, that he wanted to be able to give something back because “he was so lucky for all the things he has had in his life”.
Early in his life, his parents were told he would never walk, sit or talk, but he set out to raise £8,000 initially and now, a crowdfunding page puts the total at more than £8,400 as result of the 13-hour climb.
His proud mother said: “It was such a massive challenge and much, much harder than any of us expected.
“There were many hard times along the way – from three-quarters of the way up the pathway is just massive boulders and very hard to climb, and even at the top we didn’t think he would make it down.
“There were danger areas where carrying was very difficult, so Caeden did have to walk down a lot of it too. The temperature dropped hugely and many climbers said they were turning back. But we made it!”
The group set off on the adventure at 9am, returning at 10.30pm after reaching the top at 5.30pm.
Caeden himself said: “It was really, really hard. I felt sick and exhausted at the top, and I felt exhausted but happy at the bottom!”
Ms Thomson added: ““We all love Caeden so much and can’t believe his passion for getting to the top. We are all superproud, he deserves a medal.”