A devoted mum made an emotional climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in memory of her beloved son raising vital cash for a charity in his name.
Elizabeth Anne Holmes from East Kilbride finally took on the epic near-6000 metre climb recently after it had been cancelled several times due to Covid.
Her brave boy, Lee Jamieson, sadly lost a nine-month battle with leukaemia in August 2014, spending his 12th birthday in the children’s cancer ward at Yorkhill Hospital.
This saw mum Elizabeth Anne Holmes and Lee's dad, Stephen, set up the Live it for Lee fundraising group in his memory.
More than £260,000 had been raised in Lee's name since then to fund leukaemia and lymphoma research to help find a cure.
As well as the Kilimanjaro challenge Elizabeth Anne also organised the first Live it for Lee Triathlon in Auldhouse and the Crutherland House Hotel, raising £2608.75 for Blood Cancer UK.
The total for the eight-day Kilimanjaro climb will be announced at a special lunch being held next month at the Holiday Inn in East Kilbride.
Elizabeth Anne told Lanarkshire Live: "Kilimanjaro was the epitome of my whole journey so far - it was everything I didn't expect it to be.
"It was delayed for three years then this year no one cancelled it and I was terrified at the prospect. But, as ever, signs came to me along the way from my boy and this helped me realise that I had to stop being frightened.
"I had to turn fear into love - this was me climbing into the skies and to the moon and the back to spend time with my boy. More than that it made me look at the mountain of issues I thought I had addressed since we lost Lee but I hadn't.
"It wasn't the physical aspect of the climb that was the hardest - it was the emotions. I made me replay the hardest times I have been through.
"But I did it, I got to the top and I am so incredibly grateful to the mountain for allowing me to do that. Kilimanjaro opened her arms to me and it was phenomenal.
"She showed me that I am stronger than I ever thought I could be and I am so grateful.
"I have said 'yes' to everything since losing Lee, and will still do that. But Kilimanjaro has made me realise that I need to move forward in my own life, do it for me, and it feels like I am opening a new chapter."
Although the emotional aspect proved the toughest for intrepid Elizabeth Anne, the physicality of the climb also brought its challenges.
"It was exhausting - so much so that it could take you 20 minutes just to turn over in your sleeping bag. As a group we were pushed to our limits through lack of sleep, " she went on.
"Thankfully, I avoided altitude sickness and although I got headaches it was nothing a few Anadin couldn't fix. But on the last climb which was 11 at night, we were literally running on empty but somehow, I powered to the summit - I couldn’t feel my arms or legs but saw they were still moving and that was enough for me.
"I didn't actually want to leave when I got to the top. It was heart wrenching to leave. It was the most powerful, amazing and moving experience."
And Elizabeth Anne was also delighted with how the inaugural Live it for Lee Triathlon went on her return - despite breaking her arm the day before.
"I can’t thank my incredible friends & family enough for running this event for me at the last minute, giving it the dignity it deserved.
"And my huge thanks to Gerry and the team at the Crutherland House Hotel for such impeccable hospitality, and to the people of Auldhouse, Calderglen Harriers, Sainsbury’s Kingsgate, Councillor David Watson and SLC’s roads department and everyone who took part, for helping make our first ever Live it for Lee Triathlon such a huge success.
“We will definitely be hosting it again next year. This is designed to be a fully inclusive event with all ages invited to join in for just the swim, or cycle or run - doing all of it, or part of it, individually or in teams of two or three, in true Live it for Lee style, all are welcome."
The Kilimanjaro Lunch is on Sunday, October 16 at 12.30 for 1pm. For more information and to reserve your ticket priced at £25 you can message Elizabeth Anne from the Live it for Lee Facebook page, or email eliz.anne@ymail.com
This event includes light lunch followed by a presentation on the 'Climb to the Moon and Back' for Lee, with an update on the lab work funded by Blood Cancer UK, from our very special guest Professor Michelle West, with African dancing from the beautiful Malkia Dancers and music from the singing sensation Crawford Carlisle.
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