EIGHT friends who each have had their lives affected by cancer have climbed to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro together after raising more than £65,000 for research.
When dad-of-two Stephen Bennett from New Bold was told that his youngest daughter, Leah, had cancer, he knew exactly who to turn to for support.
The 42-year-old relied on his childhood friends – who all grew up in St Helens – who have each either faced their own cancer diagnoses or lost loved ones to the disease.
Two of his friends David McKie and James Thomas have both been successfully treated for testicular cancer.
And brothers Alan and Shaun McKeegan lost their dad to lymphoma.
Drawing from their experiences and determined to make a difference, the group of friends decided they wanted to do something to help future cancer patients.
And so, they began fundraising for Cancer Research UK, and set themselves a challenge two years ago to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, a mammoth task to raise vital funds for life-saving research.
Over the past 18 months the friends have held a host of events including a mini music festival, a black-tie casino night, a sponsored swim, numerous raffles and auctions, and they have even sold food door to door and it all culminated last Thursday when they summited Mount Kilimanjaro - taking their fundraising total to £65,000.
Stephen, who works as a strategy manager at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I've always been really open about my feelings, and when Leah was diagnosed, I couldn’t believe how this huge tumour had possibly grown inside her without us knowing and sharing my worries with family wasn't the best avenue as they were also going through it, so I spoke to my friends.
"They have all been affected by cancer, and we said years ago that climbing Kilimanjaro in memory of our mates' dad who died from it would be amazing - and since then Leah got her diagnosis and other mates actually had their own.
"We realised more than ever that the research is what keeps people - like Leah - here."
Leah was not given a positive diagnosis back in 2019, but with more research, doctors performed a miracle surgery removing the unknown tumour and medication she is on now is keeping her 'healthy and thriving'.
Stephen added: "On July 27 we went to London and flew to Kilimanjaro for Friday AM and set off that Saturday and we summitted on Thursday, August 3 and it was incredibly emotional.
"Everything we went through together to get there, sharing stories, struggles and all our years of friendship - some mates I met in Willow Tree Primary 35 years ago, others 25 years ago - and we did that together.
"In a time where men don't always have people to share their feelings with, I feel so lucky to have such an amazing group of mates."
The friends arrived back on Saturday with banners held up by their biggest and most adoring fans - their families.
Stephen added: "Seeing our families holding up banners was amazing, we never thought we'd get round to doing it with all the delays and everything but we did.
"Two years ago I didn't know when we signed up what life would look like but because of cancer research, Leah is healthy and thriving when it wasn't always a definite she would be.
"That's why we can't thank everyone enough for donating - in a cost-of-living crisis no less - so people like Leah and other cancer fighters can have a chance.
"Honestly it's really emotional but it's the best thing we could have ever done, I'm so proud."
To donate visit fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/unite/climbkili4cancer
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