Everest Couple Climbing For UCF

The Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) is waving off long-term supporters Lynne and Noel Hanna (pictured) as they set off on a record-breaking attempt to be the first married couple to reach the summit of Mount Everest in May 2009.

This hazardous six-week expedition is the culmination of 18 months of training and fundraising for UCF.

Lynne and Noel are also using the perilous climb to motivate others to get active and raise £150,000 for UCF's Personal Everest project.

This is their second attempt at reaching Everest's summit as a husband and wife team.

In 2005, the couple made an attempt but Lynne abandoned her summit chance when Noel was diagnosed with retinal haemorrhaging causing blindness, which lasted for six weeks. Noel did however return to Everest and reached the summit in April/May 2006.

They will leave Northern Ireland on 31st March for the record breaking charity attempt.

Joyce Savage, Head of Appeals and Marketing, UCF said: "Lynne and Noel's enthusiasm and commitment to improving the lives of local people who have been affected by cancer is inspirational and we wish them every success on the expedition.

"Using this expedition we aim to raise £150,000 to fund two major new support programmes for cancer patients and their families.

"We will be developing a tailored fitness programme for cancer patients to help reduce the debilitating effects of fatigue and fund a full-time complementary therapy service to help reconnect people with their self-esteem and self-image which are often damaged as a result of their diagnosis and treatment for cancer.

"We are almost half way to reaching our fundraising target and we would encourage people to set themselves a sponsored challenge and raise funds for UCF. While many of us will never summit the world's highest mountain, we all have our own goals or Personal Everest to achieve," she said.

(BMcC/JM)