Katie Colgan is swapping her heels for hiking boots.
Camera IconKatie Colgan is swapping her heels for hiking boots. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie        d441913

Mountain climb to find cancer cure

Denise S. CahillEastern Reporter

The Money Street resident who owns Loui Col Designs will join nine other adventurers climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in a bid to find a cure for childhood brain cancer.

Her inspiration is Conor, her eight-year-old nephew.

"He was five when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour," Katie said.

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The Currambine Catholic Primary School student, who is the second youngest of seven children, has had several operations.

Conor finished his last round of chemotherapy in April and now has monthly scans.

Tanzania's Mt Kilimanjaro is not the first mountain Katie has climbed for Conor.

She completed the Kokoda Track with Conor's parents Nathan and Connie Colgan just after his first round of operations and was part of Team China that crossed the Great Wall of China last year.

Katie's parents and Conor's grandparents Martin and Dorothy Colgan joined the Team China group of 24.

"Being involved with the Telethon Adventurers has given us something to do that helps," Katie said.

"We all felt a bit helpless (when he was diagnosed) so this is a great way for us to get involved."

Despite already conquering Kokoda and the Great Wall of China, the mother of one said the "challenge is yet to come".

"Kokoda was physically and mentally challenging and China was an amazing trip," she said.

Katie climbed Bluff Knoll a few weeks ago and is using Jacob's Ladder and the Kokoda Track at Kings Park to prepare herself for the trek to nearly 6000m above sea level.

Katie's 18-year-old daughter Courtney made a video about Conor's battle for a project at St Hilda's Anglican School for girls. To view the video, click here