Kilimanjaro Climb Tops Off Fitness Journey for Medical Mutual Employee

When Bill Bratton joined Medical Mutual in 2014 at age 54, he weighed nearly 300 pounds.

At that time, his doctor told him he could lose weight and improve his health, or stay on the same path and die early. Bratton, a senior IT auditor with the Cleveland-based insurer, chose a path toward health and soon joined the company’s fitness center.

Wellness is a priority at Medical Mutual. Medical Mutual offers employees access to fitness centers, health assessments, exercise challenges, nutrition and stress-relief programs, and several other wellness resources.

In 2018, Bratton was intrigued by a TV story about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. Having never climbed a mountain before and already working toward better health, he set his sights on making the trek in 2020 with his son Nathaniel to celebrate his 60th birthday.

“I told everyone that I was going to make the climb — co-workers, (fitness center) staff, friends and family,” Bratton said. “This held me accountable.”

He began training for the climb and lost 70 pounds. Then the pandemic hit and put the trip on the backburner.

“I knew I had gained weight while working from home,” he said. “I returned to the office as soon as the fitness center opened. Training to climb Kilimanjaro became my focus. Every pound I lost was a pound I didn’t have to carry up the mountain.”

Bratton dropped more weight, got stronger, more flexible and worked on his balance.

His dream came true on Oct. 14, 2021, when he and Nathaniel, along with 14 other climbers and 56 support personnel, started their six-day climb to the Barafu Base Camp in Tanzania (at an elevation of 15,321 feet). From there it was nearly eight more hours to reach the Uhuru Peak summit (19,341 feet), where he proudly displayed a Medical Mutual flag for a photo with his son.

“I knew the only reason I was fit enough to attempt the climb was because of the wellness opportunities that Medical Mutual offers,” Bratton said. “I thought the photo with the flag was a good way to show my appreciation for those opportunities.