Cwmbran paralysed man conquers Mount Kilimanjaro challenge

Jamie McAnsh, 43, is believed to be the first person with the debilitating condition Lower Limb Bilateral Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro wearing pioneering leg braces.

After an eight-day trek Jamie reached the 5,895 metre summit of Mount Kilimanjaro  in the early hours of August 12- wearing composite Carbon fibre legs called SpryStep KAFOs (Knee, Ankle, Foot Orthoses) made especially for the terrain by the pioneering orthotics firm and sponsor Thuasne UK.

Jamie, who two years ago fulfilled a childhood dream to reach Mount Everest Base Camp South using specialist crutches, described his latest challenge as a ‘brutal’ experience but the memory of a lifetime.

“It’s by far the hardest thing I have ever done and I honestly didn’t nearly make it.”

“Our biggest challenges were crossing the infamous Barranco wall, a steep ridge halfway up the mountain, and making the final 1200 metre ascent to the summit in darkness and below freezing temperatures.”

Jamie McAnsh has described his latest challenge as a 'brutal experience' (Image: Magnify PR) Four of the seven-strong team were forced to withdraw from the trek due to the physical effects of high altitude.

“Unfortunately, just 400 metres from the summit, my wife Charlotte had dangerously low oxygen levels and had to be taken down the mountain fairly quickly, but has since made a full recovery.”

 “It was quite challenging on my legs but I was amazed at how well the KAFOS were working.”

“I’ve only been wearing them for four months but they have been life-changing.”

“I had severe altitude sickness halfway up the final push and was exhausted but with encouragement and support from my guide, I stood on the summit of the highest free-standing mountain in the world.”

The disability champion and adaptive athlete described reaching the summit as both an ‘emotional and epic experience.’

Ten years ago the former salesman’s life turned upside down overnight when he went to bed “as normal” and woke paralysed from the waist down, following a bout of shingles.

“My life turned upside down overnight,” he said.

He was diagnosed with Lower Limb Bilateral CRPS, an uncommon neurological condition that can be triggered by an injury or virus for which there is no cure, 13 months later but refused to give up.

“I had shingles in November 2013 which attacked my spinal column. I went to bed on January 6, 2014 and had a massive spasm, which ruptured my spine and woke up the following morning paralysed from the waist down, he explained.

The former climber, avid runner and motorbike enthusiast embarked on a long and gruelling recovery, during which, he was diagnosed with cancer and hit rock bottom, which led to a suicide attempt.

“That’s when my life changed and I found support and a network of people.”

“Through physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, electroshock therapy and mental health therapy I started to build my confidence.”

Determined not to let his severe disability affect his ambitions, Jamie battled against adversity and found relief in sport, defying the odds to complete 12 extreme challenges in 12 months, raising £250,000 for charity.

He gained some mobility but relied on a wheelchair and specialist crutches to help him walk.

He transformed his adversity into a beacon of inspiration and received the Charles Holland award in the ‘Against All Odds’ category in 2015.

He played wheelchair basketball for Cardiff and International rugby for Wales, and became the first disabled squash player to compete in the Welsh Open Masters tournament against able-bodies players.

The Head of Inclusions at business growth consultancy Champions (UK) plc, said his ambition to scale mountains began as a child who would dream of climbing Everest but CRPS changed his goal to Base Camp, which he achieved in 2022.

He has since made it his mission to inspire and educate others to embrace challenges by sharing his story.

He added: “I want to show that with ‘dreams, goals, determination, and unwavering grit', you can achieve anything you set your mind to.”