‘I couldn’t have done it without you’: Cancer survivor thanks Ben Nevis climbers
‘WE DID IT!: Mike Wright, highest in white T-shirt, and friends at the top of Ben Nevis
A man who wanted to “give a bit back” to the Hull medics who helped him beat cancer has completed a fundraising climb of Ben Nevis - a year to the day since he was given the all-clear.
Mike Wright, 27, scaled Britain’s highest mountain on August 14, a feat he celebrated at the dizzying summit with a shot of sambuca for each of the friends who accompanied him every step of the way.
Mike’s party of 15 who completed the ascent, which is 1,345 metres above sea level, were supported by two more friends at “base camp” - the Ben Nevis Inn and Bunkhouse.
It was there the group were able to further toast their success thanks to another friend; Jordan Grundy in Australia, who sent £100 to “buy everybody a beer” when they completed their mission.
Jordan also generously donated £200 to the fundraising effort.
So far, Mike has raised more than £1,700 for the Teenage Cancer Trust, a figure he expects to reach £2,000 when all donations are collected. The trust funds the Teenage Cancer Unit at Castle Hill Hospital, where Mike was treated.
HARD GOING: Mike’s party on Ben Nevis
Safely back at home in Hessle, nursing his aches and pains, Mike paid tribute to the friends who supported him; not just on the climb but throughout his cancer journey since he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2019.
“I just want to say a big thank you for the support, not just on the mountain but with everything I’ve been through and helping to raise the money,” Mike said.
“It showed what good mates we are because we helped each other out; the camaraderie. A lot of them were calling me a few names going up because I don’t think they realised how hard it was going to be.”
An illustration of his friends’ commitment came when one, Daniel Ransom, agreed to go at the last minute because another member of the party had to drop out.
“One lad decided to come a couple of days before because someone dropped out because of work,” said Mike. “He couldn’t set off with us so left for Scotland at 5pm the night before.”
REWARDING VIEWS: Mike’s group enjoying the scenery around Ben Nevis
Last August, while waiting for the scan results that would eventually show him to be cancer-free, Mike and some friends climbed Mount Snowden, the highest mountain in Wales.
He also trained for his trip to Ben Nevis in Scotland, but still found it a harder challenge than expected.
Mike said: “It’s relief that it’s over because I found it tougher than I thought it was going to be.
“I did Snowden last year, which is much smaller. I thought it’s not going to be much harder, but because of the type of ground, very rocky, it was.
“But there was also a massive sense of achievement getting to the top.
“We’d all wanted to get to the top together, but because there were so many other people on the mountain we got there in dribs and drabs.
‘BASE CAMP’: Mike Wright, front, standing, with his group at Ben Nevis Inn and Bunkhouse
“We took food and water and waterproofs, which we needed. At one point it was chucking it down and the higher we got it was just misty.
“At the top it was that cold I couldn’t move my fingers to have anything to eat.
“We had a group chat [before the climb] and one said ‘shall we take some gloves?’. I said ‘We’re not climbing Everest, you won’t need them’, but we did.”
The climb was not without incident, although everyone completed it relatively safely.
“I cockled a bit and one of my mates fell and smashed his knee, but we’re all alright, nothing serious,” Mike said.
His group wore specially commissioned T-shirts with the Teenage Cancer Trust logo and bearing the message: “One ascent to make a small dent.”
Hull company Wilkinsons’ Embroidery offered its support by printing them for free.
‘IT SHOWED WHAT GOOD MATES WE ARE’: Mike Wright pictured before setting off for Ben Nevis. Picture by Neil Holmes Commercial Photography
Mike’s party had wanted to post a “good time” for reaching the summit, but had to settle for just getting there because of the volume of fellow climbers. They still managed to get to the top in seven hours.
“There were tons of people on the mountain,” said Mike. “You can’t set a really good time because of all the traffic, and it was the first weekend in Scotland of [Covid] restrictions being lifted.”
Mike, who works at Harrison-Lock Family Butchers in Brough, said the group is now considering another challenge.
“All my mates are up for doing another adventure, we don’t know what yet,” he said.
“But now we’ve done the highest one, where do you go from there? We’d have to go abroad…”
Most of the people who accompanied Mike are lifelong friends from Hessle High School, with others being former colleagues from his days as a chef.
Mike’s fellow climbers were: Rob Thompson, Daniel Ransom, Jack Baldwin, Steve Clarke, Josh Westoby, Sam Pidd, Ryan Carrick, Scott Spencer, Carl Green, Kris Whitehand, Callum Gerrard, Mark McGuire, Adrian Batey, and Andy Edge.
The two supporters at “base camp” were Tom Hudson and James Nobbs.