WITH an Everest climb in his sights, Nick Jones is determined to do all he can for children suffering with bereavement as he shares his ideas for ‘The Nick Jones Foundation’.
The White Horse News caught up with Nick Jones to hear of the progress behind the planning of his quest to climb to the base camp of Everest, and to find out the latest on the foundation he has set up in his name.
Nick Jones has been diagnosed with malignant hypertension, a terminal illness that attacks the heart and internal organs. He is currently being assisted by Dorothy House, who are helping him through his end-of-life care. He is determined to set-up a foundation to support his children and other children across the country with bereavement.
During Nick’s fundraising charity ball on Saturday 14th April, musician and TV personality Peter Andre attended in support of Nick’s cause. During the event, Peter and Nick agreed to climb to Everest base camp together.
However, Nick has already extended his plan to climb to the base camp, and is now aiming to climb to Camp 1 Ice Valley or the ‘Death Zone’.
Nick said, “Since the charity ball, where we raised £7,000, we have been working with Dorothy House, who have been helping my children, with the hope of increasing the help available for other young people and teens who have to go through bereavement.”
He explained that ‘loss is loss’ irrespective of how it happens and his key idea with ‘The Nick Jones Foundation for Bereaved Children’ is to be there for anyone who needs support when dealing with death.
“I have a lot of ideas going forward about how I want all of this to be formed,” he said.
Peter Andre, who is now the ambassador for the foundation, has also been helping Nick’s children, Cameron and Lara.
“I am grateful for what Peter is doing,” added Nick. “The time I have spent with him, it is fate that I met him, he has offered so much to me personally and he is such a genuine guy.”
Back in March, Nick was given the devastating news that he does not qualify for a heart transplant. He is now driving his foundation forward with the help from experts in the community that are assisting him in the process.
“In terms of the Everest plans, I have a climb team of eight good friends including Kerry Wilson, who has been there before, so he is our ‘guru,’” explained Nick. “We are also working with a guy called Ashok, who is over in Katmandu, who runs a trek group.
“The climb will happen in October, even if I am not about. People have asked ‘why choose Everest?’, they say it cannot be done, but it will happen without a doubt.
“I’m intent on making this huge, but want people to remember that I’m not asking people to climb for me, I’m doing it for the kids.”
If you would like to donate to ‘The Nick Jones Foundation for Bereaved Children’, then visit their Go Fund Me page at www.gofundme.com/NickJonesFoundation.
