A bereaved mum will be taking on her late daughter’s dream of trekking Mount Kilimanjaro in her memory in hopes that “she will be there every step of the way”.

Vicki Lenaghan, from Clydebank, is preparing for the charity climb on September 23 for her “brightest star in the sky” – her only daughter and best friend Régane MacColl, who tragically died eight years ago.

Régane was a hard-working pupil at St Peter the Apostle High School. She aspired to go to university to study law. She wanted to help people no matter the circumstance.

Vicki said an example of Régane’s caring nature was from the summer of 2013, when the teenager travelled to Tanzania with her school on a charity mission to volunteer.

It was a trip of a lifetime for the teenager, who was keen to make a positive difference in the African country, and as soon as she got back home she excitedly told her mum all that she learned and experienced.

 

 

Régane loved volunteering on a charity mission with her school in Tanzania

Vicki told our sister title The Clydebank Post: “She stayed on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro where she travelled to local schools and orphanages to teach the children about Scotland’s culture.

“She learned so much from them about their traditions. She felt like she could help, but that was Régane – always helping others.

“She loved every second of that trip. She was even asked to go back the following year to work again with the charity.

“We spoke about the second trip to Tanzania and she desperately wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, but unfortunately, she will now never get to experience that.

“I knew that if she couldn’t do it herself, then I had to do it in her memory.”

On February 2, 2014, the fun-loving 17-year-old died after she was rushed to hospital during a night out at The Arches nightclub in Glasgow.

Her death sparked a warning from Police Scotland about the dangers of party drugs.

 

 

Régane and Vicki were best friends and loved spending time together

Three months after Régane’s death, Vicki sought help from the Brightest Star charity, which provides support to bereaved families.

Vicki added: “When she passed away my whole world fell apart and initially, I couldn’t see a way of moving forward. I slowly had to learn to rebuild my life without her.

“When you lose a child, you don’t know where to go for help. It’s such a taboo subject as it is a parent’s worst nightmare. You feel alone and isolated.

“Thankfully, I found Brightest Star, who not only supported me but also Régane’s younger brothers Ben and Leo.

“There needs to be more support for bereaved parents that is why I hope to raise as much as I can for this charity.

“There will always be a part of my heart missing. Régane took that to heaven with her.”

 

 

Régane as a young girl

Now the 50-year-old is hosting a charity night on Saturday, July 9 at Oliver’s Function Suite, in Drumchapel, from 7.30pm until late. There will be a raffle, auction, buffet and live music.

Tickets will cost £10 per person and all money raised will help reach her target of £4,500 for the charity.

Speaking about the upcoming challenge trek, the determined mum said: “I remembered a few years ago that it was her dream to climb it, and as I turned 50 in March, I thought ‘if I don’t do it now I may never do it’.

“It will be a personal challenge for me and it is even more important because it is the last place she travelled to before she died.

“I am utterly terrified, but excited to do this. I know that alongside my family and friends supporting me I will have my beautiful girl every step of the way. She shone like a diamond on this planet, but shines even brighter in the skies.”

 

 

Régane was hoping to trek Mount Kilimanjaro the following year, but died suddenly

Régane’s aunt Julie Lenaghan shared her memories of the much-loved teenager. She told the Post: “She was very vivacious and bubbly girl who always wanted to do the right thing.

“She loved her make-up and her blonde hair extensions that were everywhere, but that is what made Régane. She loved experimenting with fashion and borrowing clothes from her mum’s wardrobe.

“Her smile lit up a whole room and it has always been missed. She would be really proud of her mum for doing this.”

Vicki’s best friend Glynis Boyle told the Post: “Words will never describe how proud I am of how she has coped with her grief. She is going to do tremendous, and I will support her every step of the way.”

To donate visit Vicki’s JustGiving page at bit.ly/3OHBxMG.