Birth injury campaigner to lead Kilimanjaro climb

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain on the African continent

A woman who became the first person with a stoma to swim the English Channel is to lead an expedition up Africa's highest peak, Kilimanjaro.

Gill Castle, 44, from Alnwick in Northumberland, is hoping to raise awareness of the impact of childbirth injuries.

Up to 20 women, many with stomas, will climb with her in 2025.

"I want people to know that anything is possible after childbirth trauma," Mrs Castle said.

Gill Castle is the first person with a stoma to swim the English channel

Mrs Castle suffered extensive injuries when her son Sam was born and needed surgery to have a stoma.

She went on to set up Chameleon Buddies - a charity to support women who have had childbirth injuries - and swam from Dover to Tardinghen, west of Calais, in just over 14 hours in September 2023.

Gill Castle had to swim through the night during her Channel crossing

"The idea to take a group of women up Kilimanjaro has been in my mind for a while," Mrs Castle said.

"Everyone coming has a stoma, or a childbirth injury, or is a passionate supporter of the charity."

The women are funding the expedition themselves, but hope to raise up to £50,000.

The money will be used to help build a dedicated stoma and continence wing at the Gynocare and Women's Fistula Hospital at Eldoret, Kenya.

Gill Castle's charity is supporting women in Kenya injured in childbirth

Mrs Castle's charity is already supporting the work of the hospital and used the money raised from her Channel swim to take a stoma nurse to run workshops there in 2023.

"The expedition is not just about raising money though," Mrs Castle said.

"It's about showing women they are so much more than what happened to them."

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