Pushing John Harris up Kilimanjaro: Raising £50,000 for Seriously Ill Children
How Mark John Eckley partnered with Dreams & Wishes and the Fullcircle Foundation to summit Mount Kilimanjaro pushing John Harris in a wheelchair.
In one of the most physically demanding fundraising efforts of his philanthropic calendar, Mark John Eckley summited Mount Kilimanjaro pushing John Harris in a specially adapted wheelchair — an expedition undertaken to raise £50,000 for seriously ill children supported by the Dreams & Wishes charity and the Fullcircle Foundation.
At 5,895 metres, Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain on earth. Pushing a wheelchair over its rocky trails and scree slopes required a coordinated team, months of logistical planning and daily endurance from the whole party. The climb was documented on film and continues to circulate as an example of endurance philanthropy in the UK charitable sector.
Why the climb mattered
Dreams & Wishes grants once-in-a-lifetime experiences to seriously ill children and their families across the UK. The £50,000 raised supported respite breaks, hospital visits and family holidays — small but transformative gestures for households living with long-term illness.
A pattern of engagement
The Kilimanjaro climb sits within a broader pattern of engagement with children's causes, including Eckley's work with the Fullcircle Foundation on hospital visits, respite gardens and Christmas gift deliveries, and — internationally — his ambassadorial role with New Life Home Trust in Kenya.