Jean Turner, Climbing Expedition.

Thu, Oct 11th 2012 at 12:00 am - 2:00 am

Jean has organised a medical project which involves taking a group of young-to-old people of both sexes up a Hill in Nepal.


She is an extremely fit  local retired surgeon in her 70s who has organised a medical project which involves taking a group of young-to-old people of both sexes up a Hill in Nepal.  Mera Peak  is 6476m/21225ft and its a trek rather than a climb with only a small amount of actual 'climbing' near the top. It about 2000 feet  higher than I've been before.    Non-invasive tests will be carried out throughout the ascent in the hope some light can be shed on what Jean describes as a 'gap in the knowledge of the effects of altitude.'  This she will be explaining.  The pictures above show a sherpa who has climbed Everest 13 times without oxygen and a climber suffering from altitude sickness being carried on the back of a Sherpa, sitting in a basket and completely 'out of it.'

President Bill adds - 

 

Last year she persuaded me to take part and we go out to Kathmandu on Nov. 3rd to meet the team and return on the 29/30th - hopefully - which means I miss the fundraiser.   The secret has been out for quite some time but in compensation for my absence at the Club's major event, I will be paying for two tickets and actively fundraising for CHAS.
I am affected by altitude in that the higher I go the less I sleep until sleeping virtually ceases until I start taking Diamox.  Jean will not want me to take it until necessary which is a bit of a blow!
I have two climbing colleagues where were seriously affected by altitude - and still are; and a friend who remains high on Everest where he died on 5/6/05.  He reported daily by laptop until his death, which was not due to a fall or injury - presumably atltitude.  He is well above the height from where bodies can be recovered.  So its me trying to give something back.

'What We Do' Main Pages:

Descriptions of how Rotary works

more  

Projects which we regard as perennials

more  

Calendar with duties; reports on completed functions and Meetings

more  

An archive of what we did in earlier years

more  

Some recent pages which we think are special

more