Lillian Leathem’s Story

Lillian Leathem never saw herself as an athlete - but that didn’t stop her from climbing Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, in 2019.

She remembers the first moment Kilimanjaro crossed her mind. It was a poster on the wall at Activ8 Northland — and a quiet question that followed: Could I actually do something like that?

Her parents had both passed away far too young, before they had the chance to travel or spend time with grandchildren. That sense of time being short, of opportunities missed, struck a chord. “If I’m able to, I want to experience what I can,” she says. “I didn’t want to wait.”

At the time, Lillian was managing asthma, knee pain, and the everyday doubts that many people carry quietly. “I doubt myself every day,” she says. “But it doesn’t stop me from trying.”

In the year leading up to the climb, Lillian took part in every Sport Northland Run/Walk Series event. Slowly, her fitness built. She was physically ready – but it was more than that. The real shift happened in mindset.

“Dream It made me feel like I was part of something bigger than just one climb,” she says. “We trained together, struggled together, celebrated every step.”

When she got to Tanzania, the altitude hit hard. Her asthma flared. Her knees protested. The descent was brutal. But the toughest moment came just 50 metres from the summit. “I was crying. I said, ‘I don’t think I’ll get there.’” But she did.

Reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro was more than a tick on a bucket list – it was a turning point. “I’ve never really been proud of myself,” she says. “But this? I’m proud of this. It showed me I’m capable of more than I thought.”

Since the climb, that quiet confidence has shaped how Lillian moves through life. She’s quicker to see solutions, slower to doubt herself. And when she supports others in her community, it’s with a full heart – drawn to those who show genuine gratitude.

Would she do it again? “Absolutely. Everest has always been in the back of my mind…”