rugby player to climb Kilimanjaro in adapted wheelchair

Ex-rugby player to climb Kilimanjaro in wheelchair

2 hours ago

Dawn LimbuWest of England and

Liz BeaconPoints West

A former rugby player who was left paralysed from the chest down is hoping to become one of the first people with tetraplegia to push himself up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Liam O'Keeffe from Hambrook, near Bristol, was paralysed in a rugby accident nearly 10 years ago.

He is aiming to raise £50,000 for the Rugby Football Union Injured Players Foundation (IPF), which has supported him since his rugby accident in 2015.

"The IPF has given me and my family so much support since my accident and I just wanted to give something back to them and raise awareness of the brilliant work they do," said Mr O'Keeffe.

The IPF is England Rugby's official charity and provides lifelong support to players with life-changing injuries, offering medical, emotional, and financial help to them and their families.

Mr O'Keeffe's playing days came to an end when he broke his neck during a game, leaving him paralysed from the chest down with minimal movement in one arm.

"It's something that I've had to move on with," he told BBC Points West.

He said the IPF were at his bedside "within days" and provided him with all the support he needed to be independent and live a functional life.

"I can now pretty much do everything and can be like a dad and a husband and be able to live a very normal life."

Tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, is a permanent condition caused by a spinal cord injury in the neck region. It causes causes impairment of motor and sensory functions in all four limbs, the trunk, and pelvic organs.

Mr O'Keeffe will set off on his seven-day trek up Mount Kilimanjaro on Thursday.

He plans to scale up the 5,895m (19340 ft) mountain in Tanzania using an adapted wheelchair called a mountain trike, which works by using two front-wheel-drive levers which push the trike forward.

Mr O'Keeffe hopes to become one of the first people with tetraplegia to push himself the full distance up Mount Kilimanjaro, with the support of a team of friends and family who will assist him when needed.

As part of his training, He recently propelled himself up Pen Y Fan whilst using the mountain trike, which he described as "tough but motivating".

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