This week: Sam Bennett prepares to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

“After a talk at my university raising awareness of Meningitis, and after a fellow student I knew succumbed to Meningitis earlier this year, I felt compelled to raise money for this debilitating disease, which strikes so suddenly and indiscriminately. The magnitude of worldwide deaths and its prevalence in the UK shocked me. I became very committed and am now going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain, at 5,985m, on 31 August in aid of the Meningitis Research Foundation. I have always loved sport and am delighted to use my abilities to help combat this terrible disease.”

Eighteen-year-old Sam Bennett lived in Kingston, near Lewes, all his life before starting his studies at Birmingham University Medical School in September 2011. During his school days Sam took part in a whole range of sport activities and, after being personally affected by the scourge of meningitis decided he would like to set a real physical challenge for summer 2012 by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, at the same time raising money for the Meningitis Research Foundation. The Foundation estimates that there are around 3,400 cases of bacterial meningitis and its associated illness septicaemia every year in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. To donate: www.meningitis.org/helping-us/ways-to-give/reasons-to-donate