“I hope you’ve got that shepherd’s pie in the oven, Mum, because climbing that mountain really took it out of me,” a young adventurer said, stumbling out of the airport’s arrivals hall after the trip of a lifetime yesterday.
Steve Galea, 23, was one of five young men who put their bodies on the line to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer last weekend.
The group made the slow climb up Mount Blanc, with little to no experience in mountaineering, in the hope of honouring loved ones that had been affected by the disease.
Joined by experienced mountaineers Greg Attard, Raphael Fenech Adami and Sharon Zahra, the fearless five said they came up trumps against a worthy adversary, which at times seemed to have had them beaten.
“The air is thin and it is below freezing. The snow goes from firm to sludge in no time. We couldn’t really have made it without the others,” Gabriel Felice said as he put his packed haversack to rest in an airport trolley.
The adventurers were greeted by family and friends who burst into rapturous applause as they staggered through the arrivals gate accompanied by bemused holidaymakers and stewardesses.
“I’m so proud of him. This was so much more than a fundraiser, It was a tip of the cap to all those who struggle against this devilish disease,” said one young man’s mother between sobs of joy.
The group took what is widely touted to be the toughest route up Europe’s highest mountain in an attempt to raise funds ahead of the international Breast Cancer Month this October.
Reaching five peaks in one week, and three in one day, the group said the French mountain proved to be more difficult than they had originally expected.
One of the adventurers, however, did not summit the famous alpine mountain. Shan Francois Hussain suffered a pulmonary edema at 4,500 metres above sea level and was forced to turn back.
Mr Hussain’s lungs started filling with water due to the extreme pressures of Mount Blanc’s crunching altitudes.
Gregg Attard, the team doctor, advised Mr Hussain against continuing the trip as he felt increased altitudes could have proven dangerous and even fatal.
“I was gutted. I had worked hard but I had to go back, even though I tried to convince them to let me stay on. The trip back was brutal – I could hardly breathe and I was halfway up a mountain deep in snow,” Mr Hussain said.
The young men said they were exhausted but satisfied and above all, looking forward to a warm bath and hot meal.
“The idea was to spread the message that we are all affected by breast cancer, one way or another. This climb was about taking on a challenge to help,” Mr Galea said as he dropped his packed rucksack in an airport trolley before making his way home.
All proceeds raised from the climb, and other fundraising activities over previous months, will be donated to Europa Donna Malta and Action for Breast Cancer Foundation.
Donations can be deposited in HSBC account 085131985050 or BOV account 40020409560.