Gemma Graham from Sandwick scaled Mount Kilimanjaro this summer and has raised more than £5,000 for Arthritis Research UK and Mind Your Head.
The 24 year old initially set a target of raising £4,000 but has now reached £5,236 for two “fantastic” causes.
Gemma was reported in Shetland News today as saying that she chose to fundraise for Mind Your Head as it is a charity her family has always supported, and she is a “strong believer in reducing the stigma associated with mental health”.
She said, “With Shetland being such a small community you’ll find it very difficult to find somebody that hasn’t been affected by this – whether it’s something they have suffered from themselves or a family member or even a friend. People don’t talk about it, and I can understand why. The fear of being judged is incredibly scary. You don’t want to be branded ‘different’ or have people talking about you, looking at you in a different way, but in reality this isn’t the case.”
Mind Your Head extend their thanks to Gemma for her amazing efforts.
