Two women will be taking on a mammoth mountain climb for charity next month.
Bonnie Rolfe, 29, and Charlotte Richards, 27, are scaling Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania on behalf of Princess Alice Hospice.
The charity is especially close to Bonnie’s heart.
Her late mother, Antonia, received care from its nursing team both at home and within the hospice after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
“The level of care at the hospice was astounding,” she said.
“The nurses, doctors and volunteers did everything humanly possible to keep mum as comfortable as she could be.”
The hospice’s catchment area includes Surrey, South West London and Middlesex, serving a population in excess of one million.
More than £7 million is needed each year for the charity to provide its services.
With limited NHS funding, more than 75% of this must come from voluntary donations and fundraising.
For their climb, Bonnie and Charlotte originally set a fundraising target of £19,000 – enough for the hospice to provide a whole day of care.
However, they have already secured more than £31,000 and now hope to reach the £38,000 mark.
“I knew I wanted to raise money for the hospice,” said Bonnie. “It needs more than £19,000 a day and I was surprised that the NHS covers less than a quarter of its needs.
“I wanted to raise enough to cover a whole day of care.
“I knew that I would have to do something big – there are very few challenges that come bigger than climbing Kilimanjaro.
“Normally I will take a lift to avoid climbing one flight of stairs, so the training for the climb was not and the climb itself will not be an easy journey for me.
“However, no amount of altitude sickness or pain could compare to the suffering I watched my Mum endure.
“She was and continues to be my motivation and inspiration.”
Bonnie and Charlotte recently visited the hospice, in West End Lane, Esher, to drop off some of the ever-increasing donations.
“As we climb the 19,340 feet we will know that we are supporting the people who taught me that a hospice isn't somewhere you go to die, it's a place you live your final days in,” said Bonnie.
If you would like to support Bonnie and Charlotte’s efforts, visit
www.justgiving.com/BonnieRolfeandCharlotteRichards.
Photograph (L – R): Charlotte Richards and Bonnie Rolfe