Cape Town-150818-Michaela Mycroft and her dog Eden pictured before she left on her Kilimanjaro expedition. Picture Jeffrey Abrahams Cape Town-150818-Michaela Mycroft and her dog Eden pictured before she left on her Kilimanjaro expedition. Picture Jeffrey Abrahams
Nicolette Dirk
WHILE most 20-year-olds are planning what to wear for their coming-of-age parties, quadriplegic Chaeli Mycroft will be spending her 21st taking on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mycroft’s attempt to ascend the highest mountain on the continent is to raise funds for a crèche for disabled children.
She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was 11 months old, but she has not allowed this to get her down.
The crèche is one of the projects of the Chaeli Campaign, which Mycroft, her friends and sister Erin started 11 years ago. It also supports children with disabilities in mainstream schools.
The bubbly UCT final-year BA social sciences student enjoys challenging activities, but Kilimanjaro looks set to be one of her biggest yet. “I have always been an adrenalin junkie and I even ‘run’ using a special chair,” she said.
Mycroft will be using this special lightweight wheelchair when she and eight other climbers leave for Kilimanjaro on August 27. She celebrates her birthday on August 30. If all goes well, they will summit on September 3.
Her mother Zelda said: “We always discussed her possibly doing it as one of her bucket-list activities for a good cause.” She described her daughter as a can-do type of person.
l To follow Mycroft’s progress on Mount Kilimanjaro, or if you want to donate to her cause, visit