On 12th September, we carried a story about a remarkable young girl who will be attempting to climb the height of Mount Everest at the climbing wall at Writhlington Sports Centre. Since then, there have been some developments, as Emma may well become a record-breaker!

Emma Welch, twelve, from Chilcompton, has taken on the challenge of climbing the height of Mount Everest at the climbing wall in Writhlington, despite her diagnosis of scoliosis last year, inspired by her Baptist Church Minister, Andrew Stammers, who is battling a brain tumour. This amazing feat has already been declared an official world record attempt with Guinness World Records, confirming that Emma would become the youngest person ever to climb the height of Everest on an indoor climbing wall.

Emma, who attends Norton Hill School in Midsomer Norton and is a member of 1st Radstock Girl Guides and Purnell Bowling Club, was impressed when she learnt that, despite living with a malignant brain tumour, Andrew completed an impressive 100-mile canal walk challenge earlier this year to raise awareness of the disease and over £5,000 for Brain Tumour Research.

She explained: "I thought it was fantastic what Andrew did and it made me think about what I could do. I have enjoyed climbing ever since my dad took me to a climbing wall for the first time when I was eight. When I was told I had scoliosis, I thought I would have to stop, but the doctors told me that it might actually help strengthen my spine. I decided that this was my chance to prove that just because I have a curved spine, it does not mean I can't change things. I will have to climb the wall at Writhlington a total of 1,106 times, but if this helps to find a cure for brain cancer, then it's definitely worth it."

Emma began her world record attempt on Wednesday, 18th September and plans to climb the wall twice a week (on Wednesday and Friday evenings) aiming for fifty ascents each time, spurred on by family, friends and members of the church.

She admits: "It's not really painful when I am climbing, although it can be pretty tiring, but often when I am sitting down at home in the evening, my spine can feel quite sore."

Emma's aim is to reach the 'summit of Mount Everest' on Sunday, 24th November and mountaineer, Paul Keleher – who climbed Everest last year to become the first person to place the London 2012 Olympic flag on the summit – will be joining her for the last part of the climb to the top!

Andrew commented: "Emma is a great source of encouragement to me. She is climbing her mountain, which is helping me to climb mine. Emma is in my church, so I really feel that God is helping me. Having a brain tumour is pretty hard. It was diagnosed as a grade III and that really plays with your mind. I can get quite depressed at times, so what Emma is doing is really uplifting."

Tony Welch, Emma's dad, said: "Lesley (Emma's mum) and I are so proud of Emma. She often feels shattered at school the day after a climb, but she is determined not to let herself fall behind in her homework. Although the scoliosis is ongoing, Emma does not let it get her down and the encouragement from friends and family and, in particular, from Paul Keleher, keeps her going. She is giving everything to this challenge."

The significance of Emma's fundraising challenge to Brain Tumour Research was made clear by its Chief Executive, Sue Farrington Smith, who said: "In order to fund a year's research at just one Centre of Excellence, we need to raise £1 million – that's £2,740 per day – so we rely greatly on our amazing fundraisers and supporters like Emma and Andrew, who have both really entered into the spirit of our autumn campaign, Conquer it Together, to raise £1 million to fund a new Centre of Excellence.

"Our recent National Research Funding Report reveals the extent that brain tumours lag behind other cancers in terms of funding and highlights how this is one of the few cancers actually becoming more prevalent than a few decades ago. Details can be found on our website: http://www.braintumourresearch.org/&quot">http://www.braintumourresearch.org/">brain tumour research

To sponsor Emma and help fund valuable research into brain tumours to find a cure, go to http://www.justgiving.com/welchemmad">www.justgiving.com/welchemmad or to find out more about Emma's Everest challenge, go to http://www.emmawelch.co.uk">www.emmawelch.co.uk