My take on the MT."HFR" Everest Challenge

I have some personal reasons for wanting to participate in the More FM Take on the Mount Everest Challenge and to conquer the Mount Maunganui (Bay of Plenty, New Zealand) 38 times in 50 days. If my story (see below) can help pry some money from your pocket for an invaluable cause then I will happily milk it for all its worth…

And what do I think it is worth? I am on a mission to beg, steal but not borrow from you. My goal is to be the top individual fundraiser for the More FM Mount Everest Challenge by raising the most money for our local Omanu, Mount and Papamoa Surf Clubs who play a vital role in keeping people safe on our beaches everyday. If I am successful, I pledge to donate the prize of a trip to Kathmandu, Nepal back to charity and the awesome team at Papamoa Surf Club so they can auction it off again to raise even more $$$. So if you can donate $5, $10, $20, $50 or more please push the donate button and follow the instructions and I'll give it 100% to successfully foster my goal. A special thanks to my main sponsor Sign Creations who have helped me kick this all off.

This is my everest and I hope my story inspires you to donate to this great community cause.

In 1997 I hiked to the 5,483m peak of Gokyo Ri in the Nepal Himalayas to stand directly in front of the mighty Mt Everest. By 2014 I laboured at something so simple as jumping on the trampoline with my 2-year old son.

In the peak of my career I was working on some of the worlds biggest events including the Beijing Olympics. By 2014 I could barely coordinate my sons lunch box.

My health, fitness and wellbeing had deteriorated so much that by 2014 I had suffered 4 miscarriages with multiple other health, diet and cognition issues which had severely impacted my ability to work and function on a day to day basis.

Last year I worked my way through various nutritional, health and lifestyle changes. But little was having an impact when in normal circumstances it should have - and it was all because my genetic programming was blocking results. Only through the dedicated persistence of Jackie Burkett of Pure Acupuncture did we eventually find someone that would test for something called an MTHFR gene mutation.

In simple terms, the MTHFR gene provides instructions to the body for making an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. In a person with an MTHFR gene mutation your body can struggle to metabolise vitamin B, in particular folate, from the diet into a form that can be used by the brain and body. In various forms it has been linked to illness and health conditions such as chronic fatigue, migraines, infertility, multiple miscarriages, irritable bowel syndrome, mental illness, addictions, Alzheimers, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Statistics say that 4 out of every 10 of you reading this page could have an MTHFR genetic defect with 1 in 4 experiencing serious side effects. The experts say spread the word to raise awareness so here I am! In turn, maybe I can improve or perhaps even save the life of someone with an unknown MTHFR gene mutation. You can learn more at www.MTHFR.net.

The good news is an MTHFR diagnosis has a silver lining - it can be managed and your life vastly improved. After 30 years of querying the medical profession, I finally received an explanation for a lifetime of fatigue in December. I was officially diagnosed as having an MTHFR C677T genetic mutation. It was the best Xmas present a girl could ever have. With a little lifetime maintenance I could re-fuel my tank and in January I started on a simple vitamin treatment, changing my life.

So why does the Mt challenge mean so much to me?

In recent years I have barely been able to look after my family or myself let alone consider giving back to the community like our local surf club volunteers do every day. Now I can.

Last year I could only gather enough energy to tackle the top of the Mount once and it was a struggle. In the first week of this challenge I climbed it twice in one day and could have managed a third bash.

I am grateful for my diagnosis and the huge impact the treatment has already had on my family's life. But everyday I think of some very special friends and friends of friends that have not been so fortunate with their own journey. I wish more than anything in the world that their diagnosis could have had the same positive outcome as mine. This is one punter that knows how lucky they have been.

So, I am celebrating that I have been given a second chance at life with a rejuvenated body and mind, by participating in this challenge. I am hoping that you will support me in taking on my MTHFR mutation by conquering the mount 38 times in 50 days. Please help me reach my goal of raising TWO and a HALF THOUSAND DOLLARS for our amazing surf clubs. It would mean huge things to me if you can help me get there! So jump on board now and push donate...

I would like to say a MASSIVE thank you to the awesome crew at Sign Creations who are my main sponsor on this journey. I will have a special t-shirt donated from the team that I will be wearing on my climbs up the mount. Feel free to stop and say hello!

A personal thanks to:

• Jackie Burkett from Pure Acupuncture

• Bronwyn Hudson from Fuel Your Family

• Fitness and wellbeing pro Mark Woodgate

• Angela Frieswyk at Wild Herbs

• Doctor Jenny Hill

• My amazing Aunty Wyn, cousin Sharron and those friends I leaned on when times got really tough.

And if your business is kind enough to donate I will gratefully recognise your donation here too.

Also one more BIG shout out to my good friend Ange Johnson who lives and breathes most of her life for the surf club community. You are a true legend! Hope I can raise some good coin for your cause girl!