DAN Nestor wasn’t breathing when he was born after the umbilical cord became wrapped around his neck and he spent the first two weeks of his life in the special care baby unit at Barnsley Hospital.

So when he got the opportunity to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for charity through a scheme launched by his employer Dan made a decision,

“I was considering which charity to fundraise for when my parents reminded me that I received life-saving care as a baby.

“I obviously have no recollection of it but me raising the money for Barnsley Hospital Neonatal Baby Unit means a lot to them,” said Dan who is now 26.

Dan and his childhood friend Andy Kitchen have raised an amazing amount to support the work of the unit. They raised over £2,000 through a 24-hour live podcast and over £5,000 was raised through the Kilimanjaro ascent.

Dan said: “In many ways, the 24-hour podcast was just as much of a challenge as the expedition.

“Andy has been great he just mucked in for my cause and I can’t thank him enough.”

Dan and Andy have been nominated for a Proud of Barnsley award by Barnsley Hospital Charity who said:

“We wish to nominate Dan and Andy for their incredible efforts in support of Barnsley Hospital Charity’s Neonatal Unit fund.

“Dan recently climbed Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Neonatal Unit, and their dedication and commitment to this cause were truly inspiring. To kickstart their fundraising efforts Dan and Andy held a 24-hour podcast on their Fine & Dandy platform inviting local celebrities to also take part.

“Not only did Dan conquer one of the highest peaks in the world, but also raised an incredible £5,344 to support the work of the Neonatal Unit including a donation of £3,000 from his employer Loadhog.

“The duo’s fundraising efforts will have a significant impact on the care and support that the Neonatal Unit can provide to premature and sick babies and their families and contribute to state-of-the-art medical equipment, facilities, and support services that will make a real difference to the lives of the patients and their families, their hard work, dedication, and generosity are deserving of recognition.”