A hospital worker is set to take big strides to raise money for a charity close to his heart.
Joshua Hodgkinson, 21, is set to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania later this week.
The gruelling trek to the summit of Africa’s highest mountain will take 10 days to complete.
Joshua, from Lindley, aims to raise awareness for the British Heart Foundation.
The charity is particularly important to Joshua, who works at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary in the medical records department.
He said: “In November 2012 I suffered from chest pains and I thought this was nothing more than indigestion.
“Being a typical lad I thought I could sleep it off so I took myself to bed.
“During the day the chest pains got worse and I had difficulty breathing and felt very ill and nauseous.
“I found this extremely scary as I didn’t know what was happening.”
Joshua’s family rushed him to A&E in Huddersfield where he was given ECG and blood tests.
He was quickly diagnosed with a condition called Pericarditis.
This is where the pericardium, a fluid sack around the heart, becomes inflamed causing a lack of breath and an irregular heartbeat.
Joshua said: “I thought things like this only happened to old people, not young healthy 20-year-olds.
“The whole episode really scared me and made me realise that heart conditions can affect anybody, no matter what age they are.
“I decided to raise money and just as importantly raise awareness for the British Heart Foundation.”
Joshua aims to finish the difficult trek in 10 days, providing that he doesn’t suffer from altitude sickness.
He said: “It will no doubt test my mind and body to its limit.
“This is a first for me with the closest things I’ve done been a few hill walks on different terrains.
“I have been going for regular runs with my back pack on, with some of the things that I will take up with me so that I get used to carrying the weight.
“The main thing that I think will be a challenge will be the altitude and the climate.”
To support Joshua visit www.justgiving.com/joshs-mountain-challenege or text £1 JHKM92 to 70070.
