A Scottish woman is believed to have become the world’s first quadruple amputee to have reached the summit of Africa’s Highest mountain. Corinne Hutton reached the top on Friday, 5 October, as part of a team of 11 people raising money for the amputee charity Finding Your Feet.
Corrine, who originally hails from Renfrewshire but now lives in Lochwinnoch, lost her lower legs and hands in 2013 after becoming ill with septicaemia and pneumonia but used prosthetics to help her reach Uhuru Peak at the very top of Kilimanjaro.
This is not Ms Hutton’s first extraordinary feat, for she had already become the first female quadruple amputee to climb Britain’s highest peak, Ben Nevis. According to updates on the charity’s website and facebook page, Corinne suffered from blisters from day one; it should also be mentioned that in addition to her more visible disabilities, Ms Hutton also had a lung removed last year following an infection.
Together, Ms Hutton’s expedition raised what is believed to be around £30,000 for the charity.She joins a pretty long line of people overcoming enormous disabilities to reach the summit of Africa’s Highest Mountain. These include such heroes as Bern Goosen, who twice managed to get to the top in his wheelchair; Erica Davis, who in 2012 became the first woman to do so; Spencer West, who lost his legs at the age of five due to a rare genetic disorder but on 2012 managed to ascend entirely on his hands; and Kyle Maynard, who on January 15, 2012, became the first quadruple amputee to climb Mount Kilimanjaro without assistance, by crawling to the summit in just 10 days.
Congratulations everyone – that’s just awe-inspiring!