Jerry’s Insulin Challenge 2014 has set its sights on a Mont Blanc summit for a group of insulin dependent diabetics.

The brain child of prolific climber and group leader Jerry Gore, this year’s challenge will see a team of ten young diabetics train for and climb Europe’s highest mountain.

Diagnosed himself with diabetes in 2001 Jerry has not only continued his prodigious climbing career, but also made it his goal to raise funds for young Third World diabetics for whom insulin is simply not available and who often face a slow painful death.

Basing themselves at this year’s Chamonix Mountain Festival between 29 June and 6 July, the goal of the group is to summit Mont Blanc and raise 10,000€ for Insulin For Life’s Ecuador Project.

The team so far includes Craig Holden, Cristian Dowen, Alex Toomey, Andrew Plagens, Chris Hayton and Dean Ratcliffe and are drawn from amongst members of MAD (Mountains for Active Diabetics). The group comprises experienced and novice alpinists who all have Type 1, insulin dependent, diabetes.

Jerry has never allowed the need to monitor his blood sugar levels and self inject up to seven times a day, to stop him from pursing his mountaineering goals. Last year he, Raphael Jochaud, Twid Turner and Calum Muskett conquered the previously unclimbed South West face of The South Tower of Paine in Patagonia tackling sub-zero temperatures and 150mph winds as they went. That successful venture, entitled “The Wall of Paine”, also raised some 8,000€ for Jerry’s Ecuador Project.

Talking about this year’s challenge Jerry said: “It’s no mean feat coming to terms with and managing diabetes on a day-to-day basis. Doing so in a mountaineering context has even more challenges, but that doesn’t mean that Mont Blanc is any less a realistic goal for this group.

“We are all incredibly lucky to live in the First World where lifesaving drugs are readily available to us. For many that’s just not the case and children and young people are dying because of a lack of access to insulin. I’m in the privileged position of being able to use my passion and experience of the mountains to encourage young diabetics not to limit their dreams and fund-raise to save lives at the same time. The team are already putting in preparatory training in the UK.

“I’m excited that we are going to be part of this year’s Chamonix Mountain Festival and grateful for all the support they are providing. It’s a great event and will give the team the chance to meet climbers from around the globe whom I know will be nothing other than supportive of our quest.”

If you would like to support Jerry’s Insulin Challenge you can do so by raising 1000€ and joining the team or donating via the Insulin for Life website.

The team will need a number of qualified high mountain guides in order to mount this attempt so if you fit that bill and want to get involved contact [email protected]

Read also about Jerry’s Insulin Challenge in the Philippines.