A woman whose husband has been struck down with incurable cancer will bravely spend her birthday battling to reach the summit of Africa's highest peak to raise money to help others.

Jason Leech, 43, should have been climbing Mount Kilimanjaro later this month but his illness means that his wife Rachel will be completing the climb in aid of Breast Cancer Awareness instead.

Mrs Leech, who starts her adventure on October 22 and will celebrate her 37th birthday without her husband when she is out in Africa, said she hopes the challenge will help raise both money and awareness about the disease.

She said: 'I've been training for well over a year so fingers crossed I will do it. All being well I should reach the summit on my birthday and when I come back it will be our first wedding anniversary. It will be lovely to see him on our anniversary.'

Mr Leech, who lives at Bramerton, near Norwich, will be taking his wife to Heathrow Airport on October 22, although he will not be able to travel with her because of the state of his illness.

He had one of his breasts removed after the small lumps under his arms and bigger lump under his nipple were diagnosed as breast cancer in 2004.

He endured five sessions of chemotherapy and 15 rounds of radiotherapy following the discovery and appeared to be on the mend, but last year was given the devastating news it had returned.

Mr Leech, who has just started another bout of chemotherapy in a bid to keep the disease at bay, and his wife have so far raised more than �4,076 for charity and they hope to get close to �6,000.

Mrs Leech, manager of the Hog In Armour pub in Norwich, said: 'We're really pleased with how much money we've raised so far.'

Mr Leech said: 'It will be really difficult but unfortunately health dictates and has done for a while.'

To donate log onto www.justgiving.com/jasonleech

Are you battling a terminal illness? Contact Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk.