Climbing in honour of his late grandfather, Stewart Pell, Xavier Reilly is taking on the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb to support those facing cancer and life-changing challenges. Donations can be made through the official event website.
Photo by
Rod Noendeng
Walking up a single flight of stairs is enough to raise most people’s heart rates, let alone running up 28 flights while wearing 25kg of firefighting gear.
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However, for Murchison CFA volunteer Xavier Reilly, the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb has become an annual tradition, with this year marking his fourth consecutive climb.
The event raises vital funds and awareness for causes particularly important to first responders, including mental health support, suicide prevention, post-traumatic stress injury, and cancer research and support services.
Recent beneficiary charities have included Lifeline, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation and the 000 Foundation.
Since its inception in 2014, the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb has raised more than $4 million, with recent annual fundraising targets reaching $1 million.
Each year, around 1000 firefighters and emergency service personnel take on the challenge of scaling the 28 floors of Melbourne's Crown Metropol Hotel in full firefighting gear.
Over the past three years, Xavier has raised almost $7000 through his participation in the event.
And with this year's fundraising campaign already under way, one thing is certain — Xavier is aiming high, both in the amount he hopes to raise and the time he hopes to achieve on the stairs.
“The stair climb is something I’ll continue to challenge myself with because it’s not only a great physical test, but also a real mental battle once fatigue starts to set in halfway up the stairs,” Xavier said.
“Every year I’m blown away by the generosity and support I receive from the wider community, and this year my goal is to surpass my previous fundraising efforts and raise more than $3575.
“If I can get my time under five minutes, I’ll be happy. I think my fastest time so far is five minutes and 55 seconds, so I’ve got a bit of work to do to get below that.”
Despite the daunting challenge, Xavier is embracing the opportunity to push himself once again while raising funds for causes close to the hearts of many.
And this year, Xavier is climbing in honour of his late grandfather, Stewart Pell, while also helping raise awareness of the vital funds and support services needed by people undergoing cancer treatment and end-of-life care.
“In previous years, I was doing the climb purely for the challenge, but this year it hits a lot closer to home after seeing my grandfather go through his cancer battle and use the support provided by the Peter MacCallum Foundation,” Xavier said.
“He was a good mate, a wonderful grandfather, a firefighter and my fishing partner.
“He was always interested in hearing about the latest thing I’d gotten myself into and was always willing to lend a hand with whatever adventure I found myself stuck in.
“Knowing that the foundation was there to support him when he needed it most makes me grateful to be able to help raise funds so they can continue supporting others facing similar challenges.”
While Xavier’s training program has well and truly kicked into gear, with a strong focus on Spartan racing, he also has a major rock climbing event in Queensland on the horizon.
However, as the stair climb approaches, he said his preparation would shift more towards StairMaster sessions and weighted training to better simulate the challenge of climbing 28 floors in about 25kg of firefighting gear.
“Mentally I just have to adapt,” Xavier said.
“I can’t back down or give up because I know Pa wouldn’t have.”
Donations in support of Xavier Reilly can be made via the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb website at firefighterclimb.org.au by selecting his name on the donation page.
Every donation, no matter the size, helps support people and families facing cancer, mental health challenges and other life-altering circumstances.
The stair climb is held on Saturday, September 12 at Crown Metropol in Melbourne.
Xavier Reilly builds his fitness ahead of the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb, with Spartan racing and endurance training forming part of his preparation.
Xavier Reilly takes on the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb to raise funds and awareness for people and families facing cancer, mental health challenges and other life-altering circumstances.
Photo by
Kelly Carmody
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