Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
(CBS News) Spencer West wasn't going to let a genetic disease that robbed him of his legs stop him from achieving his goals.
West, of Toronto, Canada, was born with sacral agenesis, a rare condition in which the lower spine and pelvis don't form properly at the time of birth. Doctors amputated his legs at age 5. He wrote in a blog post that when doctors told his parents in 1981 that their son would never sit up, walk or be a functioning member of society, his family refused to accept it, and set out to redefine what was possible
"With their support, I've overcome many obstacles," West wrote. "Believe it or not I'm about to face my greatest obstacle ever! And I'm going to redefine possible yet again."
West's latest challenge? To climb 19,000-foot Mount Kilimanjaro - the highest peak in Africa - to raise $750,000 to bring sustainable water programming to drought-ridden regions of East Africa. Flanked by a team that includes his two best friends David Johson and Alex Meers, the group set out on their journey.
West detailed his climb on "The Redefine Possible Blog" on the Free The Children Web site and in a series of videos.
Keep clicking to learn more about West's inspirational journey and to watch his video updates from the mountain...
Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
Base camp
"Only Day One of the climb will tell. And that, my friends and supporters, comes at sun up."
Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
Day one
On day one, Spencer's climb kicked off in the village of Naro Moru where the team encountered wildlife and other climbing groups along the way.
West said in a post that throughout the five-hour hike, he spent more time walking on his hands than the team anticipated, and his tendency to take longer strides was wearing him out.
"I spent about 80 percent of the time walking and 20 percent in my wheelchair on today's hike," West wrote. "Taking shorter strides was less strenuous and enabled me to move more efficiently."
Day one was difficult, but West said bringing clean water programming to drought-affected regions in East Africa helped him maintain his focus.
Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
Day two
"The day's trek was on super-rocky ground and was crazy-steep," West wrote on day two. "It got so steep at one point that the porters actually carried me for over an hour atop the chair-carrier."
For most of the day West walked and climbed on his hands, along the way feeling the effects from high altitude. To his dismay, the group had to separate to navigate the steep climb. After a 5.5 hour hike, West's team reached camp to rest with other tired climbers.
Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
Day three
West opened up his "Day Three" blog by describing the struggle of the previous day's climb, given the fact that he was separated from his team for most of it. Luckily, things took a turn for the better as the whole team embarked on day three's climb together.
"For the first time, it felt like we got into a groove," West wrote. "Even though the trekking was as tough as anything we encountered yesterday, today it felt tough but doable. I feel like I'm adapting, that we're all moving more intuitively. But most importantly, we are working as a team!"
It took four hours for the team to reach the next camp. Day four will mark the group's halfway point up Kilimanjaro, which West knows will only get more challenging to climb because of ascent and higher altitude.
Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
Day four
On day four, the group rested at 14,000 feet so they could acclimate to the altitude. The downtime gave West an opportunity to reflect on his father, since Father's Day was only days away.
"In addition to helping shape the person I've become, he's also innately shared his wisdom and humour, as only a dad can," West wrote of his father Kenny, an avid outdoorsman himself. Besides inspiration, Kenny West also gave his son special elbow pads that helped Spencer ward off lingering tennis elbow. "And I'm happy to report they've really worked!," he wrote.
Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
Day five
"Today was hard. And it was cold," West opened his blog recapping day five. With temperatures dropping to about 41 degrees Fahrenheit, the group embarked on a four hour hike through the lunar desert, a steep rocky stretch between two of the mountain's peaks.
The team was hit with altitude sickness, but West escaped the worst of it while his friends David and Alex experienced headaches, nausea and fatigue.
West described in the post how his research and preparation for the trip helped him, picking up valuable tips like drinking two liters of water each day, wearing wrap-around sunglasses to protect his vision, and sleeping with a hot water bottle to stave off the cold.
"What did impact us today was the altitude sickness, the bitter cold and the steeper terrain," West wrote. "And even though we also discovered a renewed sense of determination, I think we are all awed by what we still have to accomplish."
Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
Day six
Another day, another four-hour hike - this time across the alpine desert.
"Sound remote and freezing? It is," West wrote on day six. The team trekked along another rocky terrain, but this time with snow. Increasing altitude required the group to rest every 15 minutes.
"And I can honestly say that every muscle in my body now aches - every last one," he wrote.
The group stopped early at a camp to acclimate to the altitude before the summit climb. Alex was still reeling from altitude sickness, and the rest of the group was exhausted from the steep climb.
The group's plan was to get to sleep early so they could begin the summit climb at 4:00 a.m., which would allow them to reach the top in daylight rather than darkness.
"This is when I'll be summoning every smiling face, every friendly handshake, every loving hug and every encouraging word I've been so generously offered since the campaign started," West wrote. "And for those of you who, like me, have been told you couldn't do something, that you weren't good enough, that it wasn't possible: think of me tonight. Because I'm not just doing this for myself. I'm doing it for all of us."
Spencer West scales Mount Kilimanjaro despite having no legs to bring clean water to East Africa
Day seven - summit day
After embarking at 4:00 a.m., the group ate a light breakfast and made their way to Uhuru Peak, Mount Kilimanjaro's summit.
Along the way David and Alex were again hit with altitude sickness, but the team chugged along for another two hours until the summit was in sight.
"We looked around - me, David and Alex - and realized that, after seven grueling days of relentless climbing, after 20,000 feet of our blood, sweat and tears (and, let's face it, vomit) we had actually made it," he wrote.
Once the magnitude sunk in, the team was overcome with emotion and the best friends shared a moment together - before the rest of the world would learn their story.
"Today I reached the top of the tallest free-standing mountain in Africa by, for the most part, walking on my hands. And I did it with my best friends," West wrote. "I will live in this moment again and again for the rest of my life. And if I ever second-guess what's possible, that doubt will be obliterated."
West concluded by asking, "How will you redefine your possible?"
To learn more about West's climb and cause, visit the Redefine Possible Blog. Visit YouTube for a gallery with all the videos from Spencer West and his team.