A TV paramedic from the West Midlands is preparing to swap busy city centre streets for a remote mountain in Africa when he volunteers as the expedition medic on a charity climb.
Kyle Raffo, who starred in several series of Channel 4’s ‘999: On the Front Line’, is supporting a major event which will see around 40 people attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise life-saving funds for children in Tanzania and Uganda. The 31-year-old, who spent over a decade working as a frontline NHS paramedic in the West Midlands, will be responsible for the health and wellbeing of the fundraisers throughout the eight-day trek.
Kyle is no stranger to mountain climbing, having previously summitted the Matterhorn and spent time scaling the heights of Nepal. He’s also worked as a wilderness medic instructor, teaching medical professionals the skills needed to look after people on outdoor adventures.
But there’s no denying it will be a far cry from the average Saturday night ambulance shift on the streets of Birmingham city centre. “It’s definitely a big difference, and certainly a different mindset needed,” Kyle said.
“I’ll have to look after myself and make sure I’m prepared to get to the summit, as well as the 40 or so other people. Aside from the obvious things like the potential for injuries and strains, one of the biggest risks is altitude sickness, which can be deadly if it’s not spotted and treated.
“So that’s one of the main things I’ll be checking for.” At 5,895m above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest peak and forms part of the Seven Summits circuit – the highest peaks on each of the seven continents.
Because it can be climbed without technical mountaineering skills, thousands of hikers flock to Kilimanjaro every year. The annual death rate is around 10 people, out of 30,000 climbers, with altitude sickness one of the most common causes.
It’s also the number one reason for climbers having to turn back before reaching the top. “As well as regularly measuring everyone’s oxygen levels, I’ll be holding a clinic each evening to see how everyone is feeling, to share advice and provide treatment to anyone who’s suffering the effects of the gruelling climb,” Kyle said.
“I’ll have plenty of medical equipment with me to keep everyone safe, as well as all the usual gear needed for different phases of the climb – it will be hot at the base but cold at the summit. I’m really looking forward to bringing two of my passions together though – my work as a paramedic, and mountain climbing,” Kyle added.
Taking place this February, the trip is being organised by travel company, The Tribe, and fundraising organisation, the Last Night a DJ Saved my Life Foundation (LNADJ). They will be bringing together around 40 people and aiming to raise a combined total of £40,000 – with £15,000 already promised.
Money will be used to support a number of projects in Tanzania and Uganda which help disabled and disadvantaged youngsters and their families. The Feathers Tale Children’s Village in Tanzania focuses on children with special needs and disabilities, supporting them and their families to create meaningful change.
LNADJ has worked with the charity for several years, raising tens of thousands of pounds to build homes, fund medical treatment and pay for specialist equipment and toys. New funds raised will help build individual new homes in the village for single-parent mothers with special needs.
It was during one of the previous Kilimanjaro fundraising trips for the village, that LNADJ broke the world record for the highest DJ set. The Angels Gate project helps provide a new direction for young boys who have endured hard times living on the streets.
This trip will support LNADJ’s Get Equipped initiative which uses the power of music to provide the boys with new skills, confidence and aspirations. Money raised will pay for more music equipment to be taken to Tanzania.
Finally, the One Love Project in Uganda empowers vulnerable and impoverished children by providing long-term opportunities, including quality education, medical care, talent development, and sustainability programs. Donations will help cover essential expenses such as teachers’ salaries, specialised care and the provision of three meals a day for all 220 students.
It will also support the children’s families with food and household items. The adventurers will be visiting some of the projects during the trip to see the impact they are having first hand.
LNADJ charitable foundation builds hope through music to support young people around the world. It unites people from the electronic music community and beyond, creating fundraising initiatives that support grassroots projects which make a difference to the lives of young people, empowering them to build a better future.
More information is available on the Kilimanjaro event’s Just Giving page.
