PARAPLEGIC WHEELCHAIR ATHLETE TO ASCEND KILIMANJARO

Twenty-four years after being paralysed in a life-changing car accident, paraplegic athlete Shaun Gash (45) will rise against all odds and ascend Mount Kilimanjaro, to raise funds for CancerCare and a children’s charity, Alexandra House, this summer.

The dad of three, who has overcome adversity and both physical and emotional obstacles to raise over £20,000 for charity, will undertake his biggest challenge yet, when he ascends the Rongai route of Kilimanjaro in a specially designed all-terrain wheelchair on a nine-day trip in August.

Shaun, from Lancaster, was involved in a road traffic accident as a back-seat passenger at the age of 20, which left him completely paralysed from the chest down, yet this has not stopped him from completing tasks most able-bodied people would struggle with.

“The car turned over and I was thrown out of the back window, breaking my shoulder, ribs, puncturing my lungs and breaking my spine,” said Shaun. “I spent almost six months in hospital and a further three years in a rehab home for spinal injuries. But every cloud has a silver lining. I met my best friend, soul mate and wife, Dawn, at the rehab home, and we’ve now been married for 20 years and have three children, Sharna, Kyle and Niamh.”

Shaun’s training for the climb consists of a series of cardio-based exercises with trainers on a CrossFit programme of strength-based circuits and WarriorFit classes four times a week.

For the climb, Shaun will be using a special wheelchair that includes a series of pulleys and equipment to tackle the climb. He will also take regular shots of Beet It concentrated high-nitrate beetroot juice, a product for which he is a brand ambassador, to give him an extra boost and help with acclimatisation.

“Kilimanjaro is the ultimate test of endurance in anyone’s eyes, but more so for me, as I’m in a wheelchair and completely paralysed from my chest down. It is going to be an incredible achievement for a worthy cause. Anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it. I hope it inspires others to push their boundaries when they are faced with a barrier,” Shaun added.

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