Climbing Kili for a Cure
October 15th-October 30th, 2023
I hiked Mount Kilimanjaro with Mike De Rosa, a member of the Ataxia Community, documenting the journey through photo & video. This was done to raise awareness and funds for the National Ataxia Foundation (NAF). The journey spanned 9 days on the mountain, taking us 19,500 ft above sea level.
$65,000+
Raised
5,000+
Likes, Comments,
Shares, & Saves
45,000+
Views & Email Opens
165% ↑ Followers
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55% ↑ Link Clicks
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227% ↑ Likes
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165% ↑ Followers | 55% ↑ Link Clicks | 227% ↑ Likes |
Building Excitement
Climbing Kili for a Cure was bigger than just one person- the hike was about the entire Ataxia community. It was critical for everyone to feel that they were apart of the journey from the very beginning. Working with Mike, we put out several blogs to highlight his efforts and invited others to join.
An In-Person Impact
While the hike itself took place in Tanzania over 9 days, it wasn’t until more than half a year later when Climbing Kili for a Cure truly peaked. While at the 2024 Annual Ataxia Conference in Orlando, Florida, Mike was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his efforts. Before accepting his award, though, one of the videos I produced was shown for an audience of over 400 in-person attendees (and an additional 400 watching virtually).
After the Climbing Kili video concluded, a huge segment of the audience gave a standing ovation to greet Mike as he took the stage. This was an enormous surprise to me and any one else watching. For many Ataxians, the simple act of standing up is as difficult an action as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was for any other person. It was the sort of engagement that transcends the kind you can receive on social media.
