A Manchester recruitment firm has supported a charity climb up Snowdon after being inspired by a young woman who was told she might never walk again.
Niamh Finerty discovered she had scoliosis – a condition that affects the spine – as a teenager.
The City Recruiter’s senior consultant Kyle Wilding joined a group of budding climbers to complete the gruelling endeavour to raise awareness about their friend Niamh’s condition and to generate funds to support those in need of life-changing surgery.
The expedition raised a whopping £3,140 which will also go to The Scoliosis Association.
Niamh has experienced multiple life-threatening surgeries which motivated her to share her story and raise awareness while also encouraging people to regularly check their spines.
She said: “When I was diagnosed with congenital scoliosis, I was told that I could be in a wheelchair and completely paralysed by my late 20s if I didn’t have the operation.
“There was also a chance I could die during the surgery.”
She was then told she needed a second surgery which took nine hours, after which she had to learn how to walk again.
Niamh added: “It was a difficult thing to process as a child, so I encourage people to regularly check their own spines and most importantly their children’s.
“I’m very proud of myself and the team for helping me with this cause. I want to thank Kyle, The City Recruiter and my family and friends for making this the most beautiful and comfortable experience for me and for being so strong and supportive throughout the whole process.”
Kyle said the cause was also personal for him as his young cousin has idiopathic scoliosis.
He added: “By climbing Snowdon, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the struggles faced by those with scoliosis and raise funds to help them receive the surgical treatment they need.
“It was a challenging climb but knowing that our efforts could make a real difference in someone’s life kept us motivated.”
The web page is still open for donations via this link.
