He climbed Lovoš 25 times in a row. Hundreds of people joined in and together they raised over CZK 100,000 to help people with cystic fibrosis

During the last weekend of March, hundreds of people set out for the summit of Lovoš (570 m above sea level). But it wasn't just a sporting challenge – above all, it was about helping. For the fourth time, a charity climb took place here with the goal of “conquering Everest” by symbolically covering its elevation in meters, while at the same time supporting people living with cystic fibrosis (Klub nemocných cystickou fibrózou, z.s. – the Cystic Fibrosis Patients' Club). Behind the whole event, for the fourth time, is Jakub Chalupný, who also started a personal fundraiser on Darujme.cz. This year, a record CZK 100,000 was raised!

In this interview, we asked Jakub Chalupný what led him to organize the event, why he chose the format of a personal fundraiser and which moments stuck in his memory the most this year.

How did the idea of climbing Lovoš come about, and why this mountain in particular?
The idea came about roughly 5 years ago. We were on a family trip to Lovoš and as we were coming down, we saw two boys (about 11 and 14 years old) helping their dad in a wheelchair up Lovoš. The dad was completely paralyzed and had some kind of device attached to the wheelchair that supplied him with oxygen through a tube. That really got to us, and we told ourselves we had to come up with a way to help people with disabilities. And that's exactly why I later chose this mountain.

This year the event took place for the fourth time. What motivated you to keep doing it?
After the first year, 24 hours in, I did tell myself never again, but the event was a huge success, people sent amazing messages of support and wanted another year. So once the muscle soreness and aching knees wore off, I told myself it had all actually been worth it. That's why this year was already the fourth.

On Darujme.cz you started a personal fundraiser called “Výšlap na Lovoš – pokoř Everest a pomoz těm, kteří to sami nezvládnou” (Climb Lovoš – conquer Everest and help those who can't do it on their own). What does this campaign mean to you personally? And how do you feel when you ask others for a contribution? It sometimes makes people shy.
Darujme.cz was recommended to me by the CF club, who had good experience with Darujme.cz. That's why I chose this organization. It means a way to reach as many people as possible, easily. The campaign is great to share and people can contribute in a simple way. As for how I feel when asking others for a contribution – I'm completely at ease with it. As a family, we ourselves regularly contribute to various fundraisers, both for foundations and for individuals, we donate blood, my wife volunteers at a retirement home, and we teach our children to help others too. To us it seems only natural that if someone can help, they do.

The campaign is beautifully tied to the idea of pushing your own limits and helping others. What reactions did you get from the people who supported you?
The reactions were incredibly beautiful, supportive, motivating, touching… They truly warmed my heart. It just gets to you and confirms that you're probably doing something right.

Looking back – what did this campaign give you personally? And what do you think it gave others?
Above all, it gave me the wonderful feeling that there are still a lot of good people in the world willing to help. It gave me lots of beautiful stories, both from the event itself and beyond it. And lots of new friends.
I don't know exactly what it gave others, but maybe someone pushed past their own limits (for example, one gentleman had only started exercising 14 days earlier and climbed the equivalent of Gerlachovský štít, the highest peak of the Tatras, on Lovoš), someone contributed and felt great about it, someone had a beautiful day, someone met friends there – but above all, they were part of one great act of help.

Was there a moment during the preparation or the event itself that particularly moved or surprised you?
Yes, among the participants were 4 families who have a child affected by this insidious disease. They told me their stories, and when we hugged, it was one of the most touching feelings.

What would you advise someone who is thinking about their own personal fundraiser but is still hesitating?
Go for it. Even though at the start it may seem to some like a tough task to raise the target amount, it's not impossible. Goodness hasn't disappeared yet.

Do you already have ideas for the next year or for new campaigns?
Yes, I have ideas for the next year, but I'll keep those as a surprise for the participants, and I'm not planning any new campaigns for now – I want to cherish this one.

Is there anything you would like to say to the people who supported you or who are still considering contributing? The campaign is still open to donors.
What I feel can't quite be put into words. It's immense gratitude, admiration and respect for every single one of them. I simply thank everyone from the bottom of my heart.

A small step, a big change

Personal fundraisers like Mr. Chalupný's beautifully show that even a seemingly small step can lead to big change. What matters is to set out – even for your own Lovoš – and not be afraid to get others involved along the way. We thank Mr. Chalupný not only for his energy and enthusiasm, but also for the inspiration he passes on. If you would like to support his campaign too, you can do so here.