Story
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We
are going to be attempting to climb to Everest Base Camp in April
2015. This is a once in a lifetime challenge, which when you say it
quickly doesn’t sound too difficult. As a team, we have a mix of
experience, and Jen has completed a charity trek before, however this is a
trek with a difference…
In September 2012, Jen
suffered horrific, potentially life changing injuries when she was
involved in a motorbike accident. Those injuries included a broken
spine (fractured in two places) a broken pelvis (fractured in three
places), broken ribs, punctured lungs, a broken shoulder and a broken
collarbone. Jen was airlifted by the North West Air Ambulance and taken
to the Preston Royal Hospital, which is the central trauma centre for
the North West. She spent 5 days in intensive care and had
emergency surgery to pin her spine, followed by further surgery to pin
her collarbone, drains into both lungs to remove the blood and fluid and
she spent a full month lying flat, totally immobile to allow her pelvis
and spine to heal.
The “gift of time” was given
to Jen by the rapid response of the paramedic team in calling the NWAA
to the scene. They arrived in less than 10 minutes and Jen’s journey to
hospital took less than 4 minutes. Without this speed Jen may not have
survived, or may have ended up paralysed. It’s testament to the
amazing work the charity does, and also to Jen’s determined attitude
that she is able and healthy enough to attempt this epic adventure. But
you’re only as strong as your team and Jen won’t be doing this alone.
Supporting her, as he has done since her accident, will be her husband
Simon. Simon is an experienced trekker and climber, and he is also a
qualified scuba diving Padi staff instructor. Also on the team will be
Jay, personal trainer and owner of Mud Boot Camp, who has worked with
Jen since February 2014 helping her to build up her fitness and confidence
through trail runs, army assault courses, 5k obstacle races, man hunts,
high intensity training, boxing, bodyweight training and the odd jaunt
up Snowdon and Ben Nevis. Jay is also an experienced mountaineer and
ice climber. Last (but certainly not least) is Mike. Mike is a fellow
“Mudder” who has completed several physical challenges with Jay and
the Mud Boot Camp team since June 2014, including Total Warrior and
Tough Mudder - both extreme obstacle distance runs which require
fitness, stamina, strength and the need to be a little bit bonkers!
Everest
Base Camp stands at 5,357m above sea level. At this height oxygen
levels are around 50% of that at sea level, placing a huge strain on the
respiratory system; challenge enough without having had 2 collapsed
lungs! “Climbing high and sleeping low” will be the plan to try and
avoid Altitude Mountain Sickness, but this can affect anyone regardless
of age or fitness levels and we'll be working with the Altitude Centre in Manchester to try and prepare for this. We’ll also be going one step further to truly
appreciate the beauty and awesomeness that is Everest by trekking even
higher to Kala Pattar (5,554m) for one of the best viewpoints in the
Himalayas. From there you can see the face of Everest and deep into the
Khumbu icefield.
So why Everest? Apart from it
being the highest mountain in the world, it’s somewhere that only those
with strength, dedication, focus and determination (and a little bit of
craziness) will ever reach. And it’s those very traits that have seen
Jen get to where she is today. Jen has had countless uncomfortable
physiotherapy sessions, further painful surgery on both her spine and
shoulder in 2013 and endured more hospital meals than anyone should ever
have to! You only live once, so live life to the full.
We
have decided to self-fund our adventure. Although there are many
charity challenge companies out there, they of course need to be paid,
and the remaining money goes to the nominated charity. We felt that we
would prefer to stand the cost of the trip ourselves, and that would
mean every penny of every pound we raise goes directly to the North West
Air Ambulance. For that reason we chose Private Expeditions to help us
achieve our dream of trekking to the base camp of the highest mountain
in the world, and to experience the exhilaration of the Himalayas and
the amazing culture and people of Nepal.
It costs
over £6 million each year to fund the three NWAA helicopters, and as the
charity receives no government funding this money comes entirely from
donations. It costs £579 just to fill the fuel tank of one helicopter
and that lasts for about 2 and a half hours. You never know when you
might need them, and Jen certainly never expected that it would happen
to her.
We know that you can‘t climb to Everest
Base Camp with us, but we hope that you would like to help us realise
our goal of raising £5,000 for the North West Air Ambulance charity, and
in return we’ll keep you updated about our adventure on the Private
Expeditions Facebook page, our personal Facebook pages and also
Twitter. That way you’ll feel like part of the team!
#EverestBaseCampMudders
@Jen_Beanie
@SEdlington
@UCReview
@privateexpn
Please, please donate what you can, thanks everyone.
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“if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough”