A Guernsey team has successfully reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in memory of Rose Haysom, raising an extraordinary £22,457 for Les Bourgs Hospice, far surpassing their original target of £19,341, set at £1 for every foot of the mountain.
The KilimanjaRose Charity Trek was completed by Rose’s father Steve Haysom, her sister Lily, Lily’s boyfriend Christian Povall, and close friends Helena de Carteret and Erin Scullion. The group reached the summit on Sunday 20 September, the day Rose would have celebrated her 28th birthday.
Rose died in February 2025 from adenocarcinoma, a rare form of cancer. During her illness she documented her experience on Instagram, helping to break the stigma and encourage open conversations around cancer. Her family say the care she received at Les Bourgs Hospice brought “peace and tranquillity” during her final days.
Steve described the eightday climb as both exhausting and elating. He said: “Rose was so brave and inspirational in her fight against cancer. The care she received from the staff at Les Bourgs Hospice was exemplary, and we wanted to give something back. This trek was incredibly tough, but also healing. I’m so proud of Lily, Christian, Helena and Erin – and hugely grateful to the amazing 29-strong African team who supported us every step of the way.”
