Kilimanjaro climb for Holly Prince

Holly Prince was just 3 years old when she was diagnosed with an extremely rare genetic condition called Bloom Syndrome. Less than 300 people in the world are registered with it. Bloom Syndrome is characterised by unusually small size, sensitivity to sunlight, immune system deficiencies and an extraordinarily high risk for developing cancer of any type early in life. 


Holly was diagnosed after 2 years of being on the 100,000 genomes project which is a project that searches the DNA for any abnormalities. Receiving the diagnosis in March 2020 was devastating for the Prince family. 

 

There is no cure for Bloom Syndrome but with intensive cancer screening from a young age it is hoped that any cancers can be caught early and treated successfully. 

Just 3 months after the diagnosis for Bloom Syndrome in June 2020, Holly went for an urgent ultrasound scan after the family had concerns and she was diagnosed with Wilm’s Tumour - a rare kidney cancer that affects young children. 

 

Holly’s tumour was removed in August 2020 and the lab results revealed that it was a grade 2 ‘High Risk’ tumour which meant that Holly must undergo 34 weeks of intense chemotherapy drugs to prevent the cancer from returning. The chemotherapy was tough for Holly and each time her blood counts struggled to recover to a safe level so just over half way through the doctors decided that the risks of carrying on were too high and her treatment was stopped early. However, Holly’s end of treatment scans in June showed no evidence of cancer. Follow up scans in September 2021 had shown the tumour had relapsed to the site where the kidney was and that surgery was needed to remove the tumour along with her spleen. Holly then had Proton Beam Therapy in November to that area which involved treatment every day for three weeks. Then in December routine scans had shown a third relapse, this time to the lung area.  The family were told that she’d have to undergo a new chemotherapy regime which she started just before Christmas followed by surgery and more radiation. 


You can also follow Holly's story so far on her Facebook page - 


 

https://www.facebook.com/Hollys-Blooms-Journey-112998050468747/ 

The funds will be used to help Holly with her battle against cancer and go towards the family to travel to Chicago in August 2022 to meet other 'Bloomies' from all over the world at their two yearly conference. It will also be used to support the Bloom Syndrome Association and other childhood cancer charities.

 

At the end of February/ beginning of March I will be climbing the highest freestanding mountain in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro located in Tanzania Africa. The climb will take around 7 days, and will be a highly challenging experience. Standing at 5895 meters means the altitude is a major issue and is the biggest reason for failure to summit Mount Kilimanjaro but I’m hoping my body will acclimatise on the mountain. I will be following the mountaineers plan which will help my body gradually get used to the thinner air. After each day I will be sleeping in a tent on the mountain and food cooked by the local expedition teams. Although this will be a tough challenge it is nothing compared to what Holly is going through at the moment. I have seen the story from a far on her Facebook page but recently saw her at my daughters dance class who is of a similar age. Holly walked out of the class with the biggest smile on her face, i wouldn’t have known what she is going through if I wasn’t aware of her story……Holly is a true inspiration and I hope to help her and the Prince family by raising as much money as possible. Currently I am in the worst shape of my life so I have got some serious training to do to make sure I’m fit enough to summit the mountain, this will start in the new year.

 

Please note 100% of the money raised will go to the Prince family, the trip is self funded. 

 

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