Firefighter climbing high for cancer cause

Shane Reily has raised more than $10,000 for the Leukaemia & Blood Cancer NZ. Photo / Supplied

As if being a volunteer firefighter and beating cancer isn't enough, Shane Reily has reached great heights fundraising for a cause he knows only too well.

A volunteer with the Te Aroha Fire Brigade since 1988, Mr Reily has competed in the Sky Tower Stair Challenge to raise money for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC) for the past two years.

And for all his efforts, Mr Reily has been nominated for fundraiser of the year in this year's Pride of New Zealand Awards.

Mr Reily joined the fire service because he was young and felt he could contribute to his community. But at 29, Mr Reily was diagnosed with leukaemia. After a long battle he managed to beat it and has been in remission since 2001.

Mr Reily first learned about the Sky Tower challenge when he attended a memorial stair climb to acknowledge the anniversary of September 11. That climb was just over 500 steps - less than half the 1103 competitors have to climb in the challenge for LBC.

Mr Reily won the masters category that day.

He talked to some of the firefighters there about the Sky Tower challenge, and learned how to apply.

"2014 was the 10-year anniversary of the first event so they were letting 1000 firefighters participate ... within 18 to 19 minutes [online] they had the 1000 competitors, there was that many guys wanting to do it."

Mr Reily said most other years they limit the number to around 700 firefighters.

In 2014, Mr Reily raised $6500; this year he raised just under $4000. He said it was a way for him to give back to the LBC for the support and help they had given him over the years.

Mr Reily beat his previous time by a minute this year, completing the climb in 13 minutes 26 seconds.

"We do a lot of fundraising to buy our own equipment," he said.

"In October we have a monster garage sale which we collect things for throughout the year. There's always some kind of fundraising happening within the brigade so it's pretty busy."