Bunnoe nurse aims high for Kilimanjaro

Finola Fitzsimons from Bunnoe will be climbing Kilimanjaro in June. Finola, a nurse at St James's Hospital in Dublin has gone to Chernobyl with Chernobyl Children's Project International where she has used her nursing skills to help out, for the last number of years. Before the trip every year she has been involved in fundraising for the project. "So this year I decided to do something different and I'm going on the Concern Worldwide trek in Tanzania," said Finola. "I've always wanted to do a trek like this for a charity. So once I heard about this, I signed up. I'm paying my own fare and all my own expenses, which means every cent I collect will be going to Concern. "I know Concern does great humanitarian work. I've been looking at their projects around the world on their website, concern.net and am greatly impressed. Concern has a good name," she said. When at school at the Loreto Convent she took part in the Concern Christmas Fast and has also done the fast at work. She lists Concern, Trócaire, Chernobyl Children's Project International and the ISPCA as charities she supports at Christmas time. "We all have a duty to do something in our own little way for those who are less fortunate than we," Finola explains. The Dublin-based nurse is one of the lung cancer co-ordinators at St James's Hospital and in her free time she participates in boot camps with the Irish Army. She has also done a number of charity parachute jumps. "We have instructors from the army training us so it can be tough," she smiles. Finola has also run in the Dublin City Marathon and has signed up for the Connemara half marathon in April. Before she heads out on the Kilimanjaro climb on June 23, she will be taking part in a number of Concern climbs and walks. Finola will be packing bags at the Jervis Centre in Dublin in April with other members of the Concern team who are going on the adventure. The Bunnoe nurse has set up an account with Bank of Ireland – the Finola Fitzsimons, Concern account, number 75173870, sort code 90 33 14. For more information on the Kilimanjaro climb and the Climb4Concern, readers can go to the Concern website concernchallenge.org. The Climb4Concern involves climbing the four highest mountains in Ireland over four weekends in May. "I can't wait to go to Kilimanjaro," Finola smiled.