A ROSS-SHIRE airman whose talented young girlfriend died from a rare lung condition is making the final preparations for an arduous running challenge across the world's highest mountain range to raise money for charity.
The Journal revealed in May that Sergeant Lewis 'Fraz' Fraser from Invergordon, a weapons systems operator at RAF Kinloss, is planning to raise thousands for the Fungal Research Trust in memory of his partner Steph Smith by running 100 miles in the Himalayas later this month.
Steph (21) died in 2009 of aspergillus fumigatus. As a mild asthmatic the trainee teacher from Nairn was vulnerable to the condition and died within five days of the diagnosis.
Fraz will be joined on the challenge by 34-year-old colleague, Sergeant Aaron McKevitt. Both of them have had a gruelling training agenda to prepare for the challenge, which starts at 6,500ft and climbs up to 11,500ft.
The challenge, which starts on October 18, will run over five days, and includes running a marathon around Mount Everest. Although the test of endurance is organised as a competition, Fraz is only thinking about completing the huge event.
He said, "It is going to be a gruelling event that will push us to our limits, dealing not only with the distance, but terrain and - most difficult of all - the altitude. I'm not worried about the competition - I just want to get to the finish line and raise as much money as we can for the charity. Originally we hoped to raise about £5,000, but already the figure is over £7,000, which is absolutely fantastic."
The Fungal Research Trust is a non-profit charity established in 1991 which aims to raise awareness of aspergillus fumigatus.
There is very little knowledge known about aspergillus and 95 per cent of the trust's expenditure is on research. The condition, also known as farmer's lung, mainly invades the lungs and sinuses, but can spread to the eyes and brain.
It not only affects asthma sufferers but also leukaemia and bone marrow transplant patients. Invasive aspergillosis is increasingly affecting other hospital patient groups and is extremely difficult to treat, with long-term sufferers having a very poor quality of life.
Fraz, a former pupil of Invergordon Academy and Park Primary School, said, "Steph's death hit all of her family and me so hard - her death was so unexpected. I just hope that Aaron and I can raise as much money and awareness as possible so a cure can be found."
More information about the challenge can be found at www.everestendurance.co.uk
