Raphael Wolf
JUST hours before wheelchair-bound Michaela “Chaeli” Mycroft and her seven-strong team of “Chaeli Kili Climbers” left Cape Town last night to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, the enormity of the challenge wasn’t making her nervous.
That was the word from Chaeli Campaign’s communications co-ordinator Simon Mukasa. Chaeli, who is a quadriplegic, is on a mission to scale Tanzania’s mighty Mount Kilimanjaro.
“She is excited, and not very nervous. This (trip) has been about two years coming since the inception of the idea. She just can’t wait, and I can feel the excitement growing,” Mukasa said.
UCT final-year Social Sciences student Chaeli will use a special lightweight wheelchair when she and her team of Taylor Jackson, Carel Verhoep, Johanna Gallego, Thembi Chagonda, Anne Henschel, Sally Grierson and Adam Schafer begin climbing the mountain tomorrow.
A few days earlier Chaeli, who will celebrate her 21st birthday on Sunday, said she enjoyed challenging activities, but that Kilimanjaro looks set to be one of her biggest yet.
“I have always been an adrenalin junkie and I even ‘run’ using a special chair,” she said.
Yesterday her mother Zelda Mycroft said: “We feel very excited, but with slight apprehension as we are about to see her off.
“Without a doubt, we celebrate with Chaeli as she embarks on this latest adventure, and we are delighted at what this story will tell the world about ability (not disability), teamwork, and inclusiveness.”
Her mother said she and Chaeli had always discussed the possibly of her daughter doing the climb as one of her bucket-list activities for a good cause.
The climb will help raise funds for a crèche for disabled children, started by Chaeli, (who has cerebral palsy) her sister Erin and friends 11 years ago.