This admirable feat not only filled him with a sense of achievement, but also raised RM21,000 for his 15-year-old brother Branden Lim, who has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare neurodegenerative disorder.
According to Jaden, he was inspired to climb Mount Kinabalu thanks to Project Peak, a mountain-climbing group at his school in Shah Alam. The group’s ultimate mission is to someday scale Everest Base Camp.
“The first major trip we were taking was Mount Kinabalu. I figured, since I was already climbing this mountain, why not also do it for a good cause? And what better cause than my own brother?” Jaden told FMT Lifestyle.
The teenager is no stranger to adversity: in 2021, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency and later pituitary microadenoma. These setbacks, however, have not stopped him from living his life on his own terms, or prevented him from taking on challenges like this climb.
To raise the funds, Jaden created an online donation page, inviting people to sponsor one kilometre of his climb for RM10. This effort, he said, was to remind his brother that he was not alone in his struggles, and there were people out there who loved and supported him.
Climbing Mount Kinabalu was an apt way to raise funds for Branden, Jaden believed, as it somewhat mirrored the daily life of his brother, who had to overcome difficult physical obstacles every single day.
The Selangor-born teenager started his Kinabalu ascent on Feb 7, as part of a team comprising seven students and five teachers. The climb proved to be more challenging than Jaden expected, partly due to difficult weather conditions.
“Going up to the base camp, everything was fine. On the way to the summit, we were hoping for good weather, for the sun to come out, but it never did. It started to rain, and it got worse the further we went. By the time we were at the top, we were completely drenched. It was like -1°C, so we were all shaking and shivering,” Jaden recalled.
This disagreeable weather slowed the team down: not all of them could reach the checkpoint on time, and they had to turn back. Jaden, however, was not one of them, and reached the summit alongside three of his other teammates.
“I was very relieved to reach the top. But it was so cold there, all we wanted to do was go back down as soon as possible!” Jaden said with a laugh.
The teenager also commended his teammates, who he said had been supportive and encouraging of each other throughout the entire climb.
Jaden was surprised and grateful to learn that many people, friends and strangers alike, had kindly donated to Branden’s fund. He also thanked his parents for helping him with it.
The money raised will help cover Branden’s caregiver costs, which can range from RM2,500-3,000 every month. Branden is also a talented artist, and part of the funds will be used to purchase his art supplies.
Jaden’s father Edmund Lim said the experience was character-building for his son, especially given all the obstacles he had to overcome to reach the summit.
“I think it’s very heartwarming. I hope that what Jaden did helps bring the brothers together in a special way, and I hope they will always be there for each other,” he concluded.