A MAN who was paralysed in the Manchester Arena bombing aims to raise £1 million for charity by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro this summer.
Martin Hibbert, who used to live in Wibsey, was left paralysed from the waist down when he and his teenager daughter were among the hundreds injured in the terror attack on May 22, 2017.
He was stood just ten metres away from the bomb when it detonated and suffered a T10 complete spinal injury.
Mr Hibbert is tackling the 19,000ft climb using an all terrain wheelchair, over seven days in June with a team of 12 people.
Their goal is to raise £1m for the Spinal Injuries Association, the national charity for spinal cord injured people that helped him rebuild his life.
As part of the campaign a new social media challenge, #MY19, has been launched to raise awareness of the inspirational Kilimanjaro climb.
It encourages people to get away from their desks and get outside in the fresh air for 19 minutes, posting a photo of their experience to social media, followed by nominating a friend and donating to the Martin's Mountain appeal via the JustGiving page.
Mr Hibbert is determined to turn the spotlight away from the people who tried to end his life and towards the charity that helped him rebuild it - and to help others who are facing similar life-changing injuries.
He said of the challenge: “It’ll be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But climbing Kilimanjaro is only part of the story.
"My true ambition is to enable every spinal cord injured person to receive the specialist care and support they need to live the life they choose and reach their full potential.
"I want to start a movement that will create a better and fairer society for disabled people.”
Nik Hartley, SIA’s chief executive officer, added: “As Martin has always said, this is not about climbing a mountain in a wheelchair, but bringing attention to the unnecessary daily ‘mountains’ that he and 50,000 other spinal cord injured people face in the UK daily.
"Although living with paralysis, spinal cord injuries people can always achieve a fulfilled life. But at SIA, sadly our phones are off the hook from our members, desperate about the lack of even basic levels of physical and mental care and support, that makes a fulfilled life impossible.
"Martin’s challenge is about raising awareness of this silent humanitarian disaster for too many, right here in the UK."
Visit martins-mountain.justgiving-sites.com to donate.
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