Best friends to abseil down National Lift Tower in aid of worthy Alzheimer’s disease charity
Two best friends are soon to abseil down the National Lift Tower at the end of this month, in aid of a worthy charity tackling Alzheimer’s disease.
Leo Webb and Cameron Brooks, both aged 20, will take on the challenge on August 31 and have already exceeded their £500 fundraising target for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Leo has seen the devastating impact of the disease after his grandmother was diagnosed back in 2014. She is now in the later stages and was moved into a care home in May.
Both the 20-year-olds would like to help those suffering with Alzheimer’s and their families, which Leo knows first hand is tough to experience.
Though Cameron has not had a loved one go through something like this, he wanted to support his best friend and the worthy cause.
Talking about watching his grandma suffer with the disease, Leo said: “It marked the end of an era when she was not living at home anymore. Seeing her get worse and worse over time is horrible.
“It’s difficult because you see the person you love fading away and disappearing each day. It’s hard to watch.”
Though the pair have already hit their fundraising target, and impressively exceeded it by more than £100, Leo says any further support would mean a lot to them.
“We’re doing it to help everyone at the charity and the people they support,” he added.
The 20-year-olds have never abseiled before and are always wowed that you can see the National Lift Tower from most places across the town, no matter where you are.
Leo knows they will both be nervous ahead of the challenge, as the anticipation is already starting to build with more than two weeks to go.
He added that he has faced other fears before, and the 418 feet abseil will hopefully help him to tackle his dislike for heights.
“I don’t even like going up in the Grosvenor Centre glass lift,” Leo joked. “Even if it’s a couple of floors.”
The challenge is planned for two weeks on Saturday, and the pair are still accepting generous donations to their online fundraising page in the meantime – to make as much difference as they can.