Everest on the Horizon and Endless Gratitude!

Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there is a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living. Anonymous

In just about 3 months time I will set off for Nepal and attempt my 6th of the 7 Summits, Mt. Everest, for women in the Congo. It feels a bit like yesterday that I started the campaign and set off on this incredible journey, not truly knowing how it would all go or whether I would be successful. Today I write with a heart full of gratitude for being able to set off on this journey at all. My first summit was back in July 2008, Mt. Elbrus in Russia. At the root core, I was inspired to set off on this mission in order to raise funds and awareness for a group of women and children in a far off land that had undergone some of the most tragic experiences I had ever heard of. My hope was to bring change through awareness and relief through financial support to organizations working diligently in these areas to make sustainable health and livelihood improvements for these women. I wish I could say that magnitude of sexual gender based violence in the Congo has decreased, but it has not, as you can see from my last post. I recently read that approximately 15,000 women have been raped in Eastern Congo alone this year, and this is completely unacceptable.

On March 30 through June 5th I will attempt to climb Everest for these women and two amazing charities doing remarkable work in the Congo, International Medical Corps and VDAY. Others will also be trekking to base camp to raise funds and awareness as well, which I am so grateful for! (My Dad and Melanie included!)

I want to give special thanks and recognition to my firm, McKinney Rogers, who will be sponsoring 50% of the climb and allowing me to take 2 months off from work to set off on this journey. I am eternally grateful for their endless support to keep going and reach my goal. McKinney Rogers’ purpose is to ‘Inspire people to achieve the extraordinary,’ and we definitely do this with not only our clients, but with our own people and I am so grateful to be a part of such a remarkable organization. To learn more about McKinney Rogers visit: http://www.mckinneyrogers.com


As I think more about the climb and the women I am trying to support, I am thankful for so much more though:

• Thankful to be an independent woman that is free to make her own choices and help others along the way.
• Thankful for living in a safe place and having the freedom to live my life without fear. I cannot take this for granted after knowing how many women and girls live their life in fear not only in Congo, but around the world.
• Thankful for being respected as a woman, which sadly many women around the globe are disrespected based on the sole fact that they are a woman.
• Thankful for the moral support of my family, friends, and employer on this journey.
• Thankful for my amazing friends that have helped me through some of my most difficult life challenges over the last few years and without them, well I don’t want to think about what life without them would be like 
• Thankful for my family who raised me to go after my dreams and never give up and have always tried to be there for me.
• Thankful for being able to live a life with purpose.
• Thankful for my adventurous spirit and desire to live life to the fullest, not limiting any possibilities or experiences.
• Thankful for all of the amazing people I have met as a result of the campaign and friendships created.
• Thankful for all the amazing life experiences I have had so far and hopeful that there will be plenty more to come.
• Thankful for my health and being able to take on such endeavours as a result.
• Thankful for everyone that has supported the campaign in any way, shape, or form because every little bit makes a difference!
• Thankful for my determination and stubbornness to some degree...lol...as otherwise I might not have made it up some of these mountains.
• Thankful for my amazing climbing partner and friend Pam, who will be joining me on this climb.
• Thankful for women like Eve Ensler, who inspire me to be a better person and help fellow women ....her article set me off on this incredible journey.
• Thankful for the women I am trying to support in Congo whose drive to not only survive, but re-establish their lives is an endless source of inspiration to overcome any challenge I may face.



As I prepare for this next climb, it is important for me to keep these things I am grateful for in top of mind at all times. I cannot tell you how excited I am to head to Everest, but there is a lot of work ahead! There are many fundraisers to plan, many more letters and emails and calls to make to potential donors and company sponsors, much more training to do, and final logistical details to work out (including final gear prep).


I am doing everything I can to prepare myself to go, but I am also respectful of Mother Nature and recognize that my success up that mountain is not solely dependent on me...there will be factors out of my control. At this stage, I am willing to give it the absolute best I have got, and prepared to accept whatever the outcome may be, as long as I know I gave it my all in safe boundaries.



Here are some links to recent news about the Congo, any help you can give in raising awareness is greatly appreciated!



Huffington Post: No More Rape
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eve-ensler/no-more-rape_b_787806.html



International Medical Corps
http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/Page.aspx?pid=1851



I leave you with an endearing Hawaiian Parable:



A man goes out on the beach and sees that it is covered with starfish that have washed up in the tide. A little boy is walking along, picking them up and throwing them back into the water.
"What are you doing, son?" the man asks. "You see how many starfish there are? You'll never make a difference."



The boy paused thoughtfully, and picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean.
"It sure made a difference to that one," he said.



An excerpt from the book: Half the Sky-Nicholas D. Kristof



We all have the power to make a difference no matter how big or small . . . go out there and do something :)



We would love it if you would join us in our efforts for Congo...change can come with awareness and every little bit counts.



If you would like to make a donation, please visit: www.climbtakeaction.com



Hugs,
G

Recent Attacks on Women in the Congo...Aid is Needed

Dear Friends,

I write to you today with heavy heart thinking about the recent tragedy that has occurred in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. In case you are unaware, reports show that rebels in eastern Congo gang-raped nearly 200 women and some young boys during a four-day period between July 30 and August 3 (young boys are said to be babies aged one month, six months, a year and 18 months). International Medical Corps responded as soon as they could...please see articles below. Details of this massive attack are unimaginable and heartbreaking. Who would think that in 2010 women and children would be victimized in such a horrific manner. It is unacceptable and awareness must be raised!

Relief and aid in the Congo is needed more than ever. As I mentioned in my previous post since I started this campaign over 2 years ago, the level of need and aid has not decreased...these brutal attacks against women continue and medical and psycho-social support is still needed. Rape is still being used as a weapon of war and less expensive than a bullet, but more devastating to any society.

I am a westerner, privileged to live in a place where I can be an independent and empowered woman, self sufficient, educated, surrounded by people that I care for and care for me, with the freedom to pursue my dreams and passions. I am so blessed... as so many reading this blog are!! We have so much to be grateful for and we are also in a position to GIVE BACK! As I read more and more about these victims, I try to put myself in their shoes and when I do, all I can think about is the utter despair I would feel if any such occurrence ever happened to me. I think about how would I recover? What resources would I need? What emotional support would help me? Would I need financial assistance? Could I realistically ever recover from such a horrific experience? Most of these women have no one to turn to but non-profit organizations working diligently in the area to provide the best response support available, but they need resources. These attacks have not only terrorized the victims themselves, but also their families and communities. Many of the rapes were actually conducted in front of their children and husbands. Will they be accepted back in the community is also a concern....how do they recover from being humiliated in front of those they love most?

I wanted to include a link to the article that got me launched on this entire journey written by Eve Ensler http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2007/08/rape-in-the-congo . One day while trying to find ideas for a stylish new hair cut, I came across this article instead, and it honestly changed my life. For whatever reason I felt an instant bond to these women I had never met, merely by the fact that as a woman myself, the attacks described were my worst unimaginable nightmare. How could I, a woman, sit back and let other women be victimized in this manner without doing anything at all... I couldn’t. I have set a lofty goal of trying to raise a little over $2 Million for this cause, and I am a long ways from this target and I know I cannot do it alone, but need others to get involved and fortunately others have. We have held successful fundraising hiking events, a group Kilimanjaro climb, and others have independently volunteered to dedicate their next challenge to the campaign and help these fellow women. It has been very rewarding to help encourage and inspire others to pursue their challenges for this amazing cause....I hope more of you are inspired to join us in our efforts!! I am in the process of organizing a Stair Climb event in a high skyscraper both in San Francisco or Los Angeles and New York. My aim is to get these launched no later than February 2011. In addition, I am hoping to present fundraising slideshows on my latest climbs, most notably the Denali climb that took place this May. Lastly, I am headed to Everest in the Spring and others on the team will also dedicate their climb to the summit or trek to base camp to the campaign. The Everest Climb will have two beneficiary charities working diligently in the Congo: International Medical Corps and V-Day. Both of these organizations have made tremendous impact in the lives of women in the Congo and they need our support.

If what you read in the articles below touches your heart in some way and you would like to get involved in making a difference....PLEASE contact me! You do not need to climb any mountains to do so...unless you want to of course :) Together we can make a difference and raise awareness. If people lack the general knowledge of the crisis in the Congo, together we can educate them.

I know my journey to help these women will not end once I reach the 7 summits, as I cannot forget them after these climbs are done. I met many rape survivors in my visit to Uganda last year to a refugee settlement supported by International Medical Corps, where much of the population were Congolese refugees that had fled and been able to find refuge and support in this settlement. Their stories, their pain, their struggle to survive, and most importantly their strength and perseverance will stay with me always. They are an inspiration I feel for anyone (especially other women) to be strong and keep fighting the fight regardless of how ugly the past may be.

So in closing, please read some of these links and share this information. I hope that anyone reading this will join me in trying to raise support and awareness for these women and amazing organizations that are working hard to make their lives a little better. You can make a donation by visiting: http://climbtakeaction.com/DonateNow.html All donations are tax deductible and go 100% directly to International Medical Corps.


Latest from the Congo:



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_re_af/af_congo_rapes

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/world/africa/23congo.html

http://newsone.com/world/associatedpress4/rebels-commit-200-rapes-in-congo-despite-un-troop-presence/

http://www.peacewomen.org/news_article.php?id=1571&type=news



Thank you for reading,


Georgina

Denali Recap- Summit 5 of 7 for Women in the Congo

Denali....aka 'Degnarly'... :) May 19-June 5 2010

It seems amazing that almost two months ago I stood a top North America (Denali)! Yes, on June 1, 2010 I completed my fifth of the Seven Summits for women in the Congo, benefiting International Medical Corps. Like all of my climbs thus far, it was an incredible adventure and one I will never forget, but different in the sense that this one was a true test of will every day. This journey officially began July 2008 when I completed my first summit, Mt. Elbrus in Russia, and looking back now....these last two years have flown by. I have experienced so many personal changes as well from starting a new career in management consulting, to moving to two new cities, amongst other things. Sadly, the crisis in the Congo continues and so my effort to raise funds and awareness for these women continues as well. Years after the official end of the decades-long civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), violence remains pervasive throughout eastern DRC, acts of rape against women and children continue to escalate, and over a third of the population lacks access to even the most basic health care. From the height of the conflict until today, International Medical Corps has remained in this volatile area, working with local partners to build sustainable capacity by repairing health facilities and improving the skills of medical professionals, village health workers, and community members. I hope anyone reading this will join in our efforts to help improve the lives of these women and children, as any little bit goes a long way! In case you are unaware, the sexual violence in the Congo, an area plagued by civil conflict for over a decade, has been deemed the worst in the world by John Holmes, UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. We are also still a long way from reaching our $2M goal...so your support is greatly appreciated. To date, I have personally financed all the climbs and all funds raised goes to the charity. These climbs are for them in hopes of having a positive impact in their lives, as no woman or child should have to undergo such atrocities. We really need your support and hope you will visit us at: http://www.climbtakeaction.com/DonateNow.html

A little about Denali:

Mount McKinley (20,320 feet) has a larger bulk and rise than Mount Everest, although the summit of Everest is higher at 29,029 feet (8,848 m). Everest's base sits on the Tibetan Plateau at about 17,000 feet (5,200 m), giving it a real vertical rise of a little more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m). The base of Mount McKinley is roughly at 2,000-foot (610 m) elevation, giving it an actual rise of 18,000 feet (5,500 m). Many climbers call the mountain by its original Native American name, Denali, meaning "great one".

McKinley is also perhaps the coldest mountain in the world outside of Antarctica. Temperatures as low as −75.5 °F (−60 °C) and wind chills as low as −118.1 °F (−83 °C) have been recorded by an automated weather station located at 18,700 feet (5,700 m).

Because of its weather and ease of access, some climbers use McKinley as a training ground for climbing the 8,000 meter peaks of the Himalaya, including Everest. I had told myself going in, “if I make McKinley, I will go for Everest in the spring.”

There is also a higher risk of altitude illness for climbers than its altitude would otherwise suggest, due to its high latitude. This is because barometric pressure decreases with increases in latitude. That is, at the equator, a mountain as high as Mount McKinley would have 47% as much oxygen available on its summit as compared to sea level, but because of McKinley's latitude, the pressure on its summit is even lower at 42%, and believe me you are sucking air hard on the last final pushes to the summit.

Here are the final statistics for the climbing season in 2010; our team was one of the lucky ones to summit. I believe there were four deaths on the mountain this year as well.

Final Statistics for the 2010 Climbing Season	Mt. McKinley
Number of Registered Climbers	1,222
Climbers Currently On Mountain	0
Completed Climbs	1,222
Number of Summits	661
Summit Percentage	54%

Some interesting facts can be found at: http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/upload/2009%20Summary%20Again.pdf

Prepping for Denali:

I trained for Denali just after I got back from Aconcagua from February to May. It was a bit hectic, as I was trying to relocate to San Francisco from Portland, and had a pretty intensive travel schedule for work, as we were amidst of a major rollout with one of our clients and so I was on the road pretty much every week, scouting for hotel gyms or running paths to train in. I did indeed move to an amazing city with loads of stairs, hills, and trails! Thus, my trips to the Lyon Steps, runs up to Baker Beach from the city, and hikes up Mt. Diablo became far more frequent on the weekends when I was actually home. I also got a new backpack from Gregory, as they were kind enough to exchange my two year old backpack (Denali Pro) that obviously was too big for me and had made the last couple of summits pretty miserable (frame was too big for me). So training with my Gregory Diva 85 pack was indeed a lot better! The key in my training plan for this trip was to be able to train with weight and replicate as best I could the movements my body would make on the mountain with that weight. I got to celebrate with friends in San Francisco the day before I left for Anchorage, as it was the Bay to Breakers run in San Francisco where everyone dresses up in costume...needless to say it was a lot of fun and great send off for the weeks that lie ahead!!

Going into the Climb:

Denali was the first mountain, I can honestly say I was afraid going in. For starters I had heard stories of people getting blown off the summit ridge, temps dropping to -40 F +, endless crevasses, etc. In addition, I knew for the majority of the trip I would be carrying 100lbs between my sled and my backpack. Considering weight had been one of my greatest challenges on Aconcagua, when I was only carrying 50-60 lbs at a time, I was worried how I would perform with this additional weight over a 3 week period. This was not a mountain to underestimate under no circumstance. All I could do at the end of the day was train to the best of my ability, pray for good weather, and have the confidence that I would try my best to get up there.

I chose to climb with Alpine Ascents once again, as they had some of the best summit success rates on the mountain. I also had been really impressed with their guides on my previous two climbs with them to Mt. Elbrus and Mt. Aconcagua.....Vern, Seth, JP, you guys rock! This trip would be no different as I was blessed with some pretty amazing guides once again! Paul and Phil...Amazing!! Also, my two very good friends were on this trip, Pam and Jason....thus I had some comfort knowing that at the end of the day...I would be in good company no matter what. I also knew I was lucky to have an awesome tent mate, Pam....we definitely can have fun!! She is also a very strong climber and that alone pushes me to go harder :)

I had a tremendous amount of respect for the mountain going in and kept saying to friends pray for warm weather and I think my last FB post said something like “Denali, please be kind”....and kind she was indeed, as we had a successful trip.

17th nights on the mountain....The Climb...The Journey...A lesson about Humility and Test of Will

Pam, Jason, and I met in Anchorage and headed on our two hour journey to Talkeetna. The ride over was an interesting one with our shuttle driver...god love him...was eager to share every fact about Alaska he knew! For example Alaska has more than 1 million lakes over an acre! Wow didn’t know that, but also the three of us were eager to catch up...so it was a funny balance.

We finally made it to Talkeetna and met up with the rest of the team and our trusty guides....so here’s where we met Paul, Phil, Chris, Rob, and Brett. Tom and Hobs at Fireside B&B made us one last yummy dinner and we all got to ask some looming questions and then hit the hay, cuz it would be an early start the next day. I can honestly say it all still hadn’t hit me yet.

The next day, we got up, had another delicious meal ala Tom and Hobs and then headed to the Alpine Ascents hanger to sort out our gear and do some final crevasse rescue practice. Here I must admit I snuck in a few more items that were not on the gear list that made for some funny conversations later on the trip....hmmm what were those??... well here you go and if you are a purist, don’t hate me  I did sneak in and carry: 1 pink razor, 1 full deodorant, 16 pairs of underwear (although I did have 3 pair of ones you can supposedly wear for 16 days straight--I ended up cashing most at 11,000 feet...was silly to bring so many), a compact, lip-gloss, mascara, and 2 eye shadows.....you hear often on Denali... “Ounces make pounds, pounds make pain”, but I felt these ounces would be worth it and make me feel like me on the hill. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, just knowing I feel better when I feel I look good and not like a train wreck :)
So final order of business before flying to the glacier was to get some yummy pizza at Mountain High Pizza Pie in town and then head over to the National Park Service to get our permits and listen to a presentation about safety and proper waste management on the mountain.

From there it was to Talkeetna Air Strip, for our flight to base camp, set right smack in the glacier. We took some final photos with all of our 800 lbs of gear for the team, I got to meet my friend Norma Bastidas in person :), and filled up our Nalgenes with water to reduce our efforts once we landed. We boarded our 7 passenger planes and were off! Within 20 minutes or so, all sight of green was gone and we entered a world of white and some glacial blues.....so okay here it was starting to hit me. We landed in the middle of some impressive peaks all around (Hunter, Foraker, and Denali). We quickly unloaded our gear and got if off the snow covered runway and made our way to set up our first camp. Now was the pinch me moment....the oh Sh^& I am about to climb Denali...no going back now ....wooohooo! Excitement, nervousness, inflow of energy all in one! It was also evident that on a beautiful sunny day on the glacier, it was gonna get HOT!

Climbing Highlights (in no particular order):

• Visiting one of the most beautiful places in the world! Denali is a magical... a little slice of heaven :) One of the most remote places in the US...such a treat to be able to see it and call it home for 17 nights.

• Seeing the top of North America!!!! WOW what an amazing sight and feeling to get up there...yes I did get a little teary eyed...really wasn’t sure if it was going to make it, but so happy I did.

• Pushing my body, mind, and spirit to its max....more to come in a bit, but I almost quit on summit day.

• Denali was a test of will each and every day...proof you can do anything you set your mind to.

• Nailing down summit number 5 of 7...one step closer to the goal!

• Summit Day- a day with endless personal key learnings, putting full trust in others, a day that others helped me regain my will to press on; a day I will never forget.

• Meeting world class adventurers and making new friendships-one of the best things about mountaineering is the amazing people you meet.

• Being humbled by nature and these world class adventurers....I still say to this day, I am a person that enjoys climbing, I do not consider myself a “climber”....some of the folks I met attempting to go up the Cassin or other crazy routes are the hard corps true adventures in my book....or our amazing guides that without them, there may not have been summit success.

• Experiencing endless light for the entire trip....no night time in Alaska during the summer. Also, experiencing constant white....living on a glacier for 17 days is all white...snow and ice!!

• Being able to celebrate success as a team at the Fairview in Talkeetna,...we shut it down at 4 AM I think??

• Getting to explore beautiful Alaska post the climb...an amazing place and I will have to go back so I can see the Kodiak Bears!!! No time or money for that on this trip.

• Getting to experience an overall extraordinary lifelong memorable adventure!!! Amazing and yes I would do this one again :)

• Realizing how quickly your body forgets pain....although I was some extreme pain day on day...my body would do a mental wipe each night and allow me to do it all over again the next day. ..pretty cool I think. I also wish I could have had a mental tape recorder to capture all the funny thoughts going through my mind each day and also the endless cursing in my head that every now and then did get vocalized and heard by the rest of the team...ooops :)

• My ‘Scorpion’ fall coming down from a cash from 16,200...we were almost back to 14,200...oh ya....I tripped on my crampons and caught air and even tumbled a little bit to land face first in the snow....a few people even took pictures...luckily it was in a flat spot, so I rolled over and just laughed laying there for a while...it was pretty funny and I have no problem making fun of myself when its due :)

• The weather forecast is not always accurate...had we listened to the forecast we would have missed the weather window and our summit bid...we had to listen to the ‘nowcast’, as Paul would call it....which was telling us to at least try to get to 17,200 camp and hope the weather would hold for a couple of days. (I was initially hesitant since if the weather predicted did hit, we would have to head all the way down to 14,200 and then go up again to 17,200 for a third time!-luckily this did not happen)

• A huge special thanks to Paul Koubek and Phil Marino...without them there would be no summit. They gave me the mental will on summit day to keep on going when I had lost the will to go on. I thank them forever because they saw my ability to continue when I doubted it in myself. (I thought I was moving too slow for the team due to my cold hands and effects of altitude and didn’t want to jeopardize anyone’s summit bid).

• A huge special thanks to Pam Pappas...my amazing tent mate, friend...and partner in crime ;) There was never a dull moment and endless entertainment. I know she loved it when I tried to cuddle with her in the tent...actually not and she nicknamed me Captain Crunch :) She rocked it on the mountain by the way!! Can’t wait to rock it again on EVEREST this spring with her!!

The Challenges:

• BLISTERS...oh ya...formed on the back of each heel 4 hours into the trip and grew and bled and caused endless amount of pain. My days started with a 1 hour gauze, medical tape, and duck tape process, followed by 2-3 extra strength Excedrin just so I could get my boots on! The day ended with cleaning the blisters out so they would not get infected with either Neosporin spray, hydrogen peroxide, antiseptic wipes, or alcohol....basically whatever I could get my hands on, as I had limited supply in my first aid kit and so had to borrow from others. Oh Ya let me tell you alcohol and hydrogen peroxide hurt like HELL...poor Pam got to see these gnarly things everyday and witnesses my endless cursing in the cleaning process. On certain moves these darn blisters were the cause of silent tears as every step became excruciating....most notably our move from 11,000 ft to 14,000ft (had run out of tape and didn’t put enough layers), and our move from 14,000 to 17,000 ft up the almost vertical 1000 foot fixed line (I wasn’t able to modify my stepping techniques to relieve pressure of the heels).

• Our Sleds that seem to have a mind of their own and also caused some tension on the rope teams....especially going around windy corner and up motorcycle and squirrel hill!! Imagine dragging a weighted sled uphill for 3,000 feet that is roped to you and you are also roped to two other people with their own sleds and all trying to walk at the same pace....crazy and easy to create some aggravation!

• Your hot then your freezing...it was like there was no in between somedays. On the lower glacier when the sun was out, we were cookin!!! Then when wind kicked up and sun was less prevalent...bring out the Parka! I must say we were extremely lucky with the weather overall! I would say including summit day, it never got below -15 F, which is amazing for Denali.

• Being roped up in general and having to move at the same pace as a team (4 on each team)

• Clipping into pickets with your puffy down mitts and cold hands efficiently...I really struggled with this on Summit Day and will have to practice a lot for Everest.

• Realizing the power of a team and how important teamwork is on the mountain, not only within your own team, but with other teams. For example, sharing weather conditions, medical supplies, food, keeping the morale up, etc. I was so grateful to everyone that donated medical tape, duck tape, and antiseptic wipes to me for my blisters :)

• Weight and keeping up stamina and moral....just when you think you can go no more...well you have to...true test of will every day. My hardest days were moving from 11,000 to 14,000 feet (blister day mega pain), the move from 14,000 to 17,000 with a weighted pack about 50-60 lbs (fell 3 times this day...blow to the ego and made for a very nervous day). and first half of summit day (when I almost quit due to being cold and convinced I was going too slow).

• Balance with a weighted pack on narrow, mixed terrain...I fell 3 times (on the move to 17,000)...the mental and physical recovery is important and challenging all in one. Here is when you are super grateful for your rope team! There are some very exposed sections on the upper mountain above 16,200 that definitely made me nervous! When my Nalgene fell down several thousand feet, as I was walking down the summit ridge, it definitely gave me Goosebumps seeing how far of a fall it could be for any of us!

• I gave up several times on summit day and it was only due to the pep talk of my guides, Paul and Phil and my good friend Pam that I kept going. For the first time in my life, I lost my will, and it took others to get it back...a pretty powerful experience....and I will be eternally grateful for their support. By the time we got to Pig Hill on Summit Day, my will was back and as Paul said, “I was too close not to make it” :)

• Cold- I got some slight frostnip on my right thumb and index finger and why I almost quit. My hands were really cold and I could feel the cold metal of the ice ix, although wrapped in foam. Also, didn’t wear enough layers out of camp on our summit bid morning. A silly mistake that had some performance consequences later that day. It is so important to keep your core at the right temperature.

• Forget modesty....having to go to the bathroom in a shared waste bucket for the team in dug out snow holes...my favorite was a 14,000 camp when your only option was to use one of two public outhouses with no cover really except for snow blocks people had carved up to make for some privacy, but basically everyone could see your head when you sat there. It was embarrassing for me... but part of mountaineering

• Building snow walls after long days of climbing. I never realized how much work this entailed and it was so awesome to have a team to get it done right. Basically it could take a couple of hours of carving snow blocks to build walls tall enough to protect our tents

• At the end of the trip after making it up that final Heartbreak Hill, we found out we were weathered out and so would have to wait a day or two to be able to fly out....thus this added 2 more nights on the mountains as planes could not fly into the glacier to come get us. Not really a challenge, just another little road block to getting off the hill. We also had to stomp out our runway so that the plane could land. Basically everyone at the base camp got out of their tents and put on their snowshoes and stomped the runway for a couple of hours so that the planes could attempt a landing....it was pretty comical actually...Denali didn’t let us go easily.

• Losing all of our Summit Photos  My camera fell on the snow at the summit and so the battery froze. We then took all of our photos with Pam’s camera, but on our way down from 17,200 camp, the camera fell out of her hands as she snapped a photo on the ridgeline. I was just happy it was the camera that fell and not one of us!!! It’s the memory that counts  but still sad not to have it captured.

• Adjusting to everyday life after the trip. This one hit me hard this time, as you go from focusing on survival and accomplishing a goal you have been training for months for, to just going back to your normal routine. It is a difficult transition of going from the extraordinary to the ordinary...I challenge myself with trying to make everyday the extraordinary.

What Got Me up the Mountain:

• Denali was a test of will every day, I cannot say that enough...so I thank my mental will for getting me up the hill

• Having trained...this is not a mountain to not train for...so I felt physically strong for the most part

• Prayers...lots of them :)

• Paul Koubek and Phil Marino...our trusty guides and without them there would be no summit. Thank you forever!!

• Having a goal...this has been a long time journey and as always a lot was at stake...having a larger goal of reaching the 7 definitely kept me going.

• Getting enough sleep, water, and food....so important to keep up stamina for 17 days on the mountain.

• Blessed with good weather...that could have changed everything

Lessons Learned:

• Humility- so humbled by the magnificent beauty of Denali and so humbled by the world class adventurers Denali draws in. ...both inspire me to continue to pursue more adventures in my lifetime.

• Test of Will- every day my will was tested...it failed a bit on summit day, but thanks to the help of others I was able to regain it and press on. I am still a firm believer that climbing is 80% mental and 20% physical when it boils down to it.

• Climb more in your boots before going on a 3 week trip!! I was told you could not ‘break in’ Millet boots and that’s true for the most part, but it is important to test the friction you will feel on the hill beforehand. I found out that the hard way with my blisters.

• One step at a time gets you up the mountain...there were many days when I really tried avoiding looking up :) Was better just to put one foot in front of the other and know you would eventually get to the next camp




General Info on the Climb:
• We went up the West Buttress- Although there are no technically difficult sections on the route, many stretches of “The Butt” leave very little margin for error. Furthermore, the West Buttress is just as exposed as any other route to McKinley's legendary weather.

• We had 5 camps on the way up (7300, 7900, 11500, 14200, 17200) and 3 on the way down (17200, 11,500, and 7300).

• Spent 17 nights on the mountain in total (May 19-June 5 2010)

Thank you for reading and I hope you will all please continue to support our efforts! Every dollar has a tremendous impact on a life….
http://www.climbtakeaction.com/DonateNow.html

How Your Donation Will Help Women & Children:

International Medical Corps (IMC) provides life-saving services for displaced women and children in the Congo (DRC), including: emergency medical treatment and physician training, counseling to help heal deep psychological wounds, and economic opportunities to help promote self-sufficiency.
Your donation is tax-deductible, totally secure, and will go directly to this cause. Please forward this link to others so we can help save more women and children’s lives!

Thank you so so much for all of your support and encouragement. So what is next for the campaign?? Everest April 1, 2011 is next! More to details to come soon of the next challenge in support of women in the Congo! I am very excited that others will be joining the climb in support of these women...We are going to the top of the world for them to raise awareness and support :)

Hugs,

Georgina

Top of North America for the Congo! Denali

More to come, but I reached the Denali Summit (6194 m) on June 1, 2010 as part of my Climb Take Action Campaign for women in the Congo (this is my fifth of the seven summits). It was an incredible adventure indeed and a true test of will each and every day!! I feel very blessed and extremely grateful for a wonderful team, including the most amazing guides.

I will be posting pics and a full report shortly, but just wanted to give a quick update.

International Medical Corps continues to need support for their programs in the Congo, please visit our website.

Best,

Georgina

A little more about the women and organization my climbs support…..

I am writing this in route to Alaska…next up is Mt. McKinley or Denali 6,194 m for International Medical Corps and the women and children of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. I will be climbing from May19-June 8th.

Last July, I had the privilege of visiting two of the Refugee settlements that International Medical Corps supports in Uganda- Nakivale and Kyaka II. The visit still lives vivid in my mind, and I thought it was important to share with you all a little of what I experienced while in Uganda and why your support is needed for the campaign . . . .

So what is it that inspires us?

As a management consultant . . . I ask my clients this question on a daily basis. For me it was a little over 2 years ago that I was inspired to launch the Climb Take Action Campaign, after reading an article Eve Ensler wrote for Glamour magazine. The article detailed the horror women were facing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and how rape was being used as a weapon of war by the militia. As a woman, the details in this article were so atrocious and offensive, I became consumed with the notion of trying to do something to help women like those I had read about. Their stories were my inspiration to go out and pursue my dream of reaching the highest peak on each continent in order to raise funds and awareness to their situation in hopes of making a positive impact on their lives. Well here I am two plus years down the road. . having reached the highest peak of four continents with 3 more to go . . . and now being inspired not only by these women and children, but by those working diligently on a daily basis to help them.

After summiting Kilimanjaro last summer in July, Genevieve, Brooke, and I headed to Kampala to meet Stephanie Bowen of International Medical Corps and prepare for our journey to the Nakivale and Kyaka II Refugee Settlements in Western and Southern Uganda. Both of these settlements, although in Uganda, are hosts to a large Congolese refugee population. We arrived on 19th of July and departed on the 25th of July. When I look back on my life and look for instances and sources of inspiration. . .well this week will be at the top of my list. The aim of my visit was to meet the women and children the campaign was supporting, learn more about their needs, and share their story in hopes of raising additional support and awareness for them and International Medical Corps.

A little more about the Journey to Uganda….

I really had no idea what to expect upon arrival in Kampala, Uganda. I had now been to Kenya and Tanzania, and Senegal, and quickly realized each African country if very unique in its own right… so I was in for a surprise. I arrived in the evening in Kampala and was greeting by airport staff all wearing white masks. . .I was then told I would need to fill out a health questionnaire prior to going through customs (due to swine flu scare). It was all very organized though and the airport was nothing like Dakar THANK GOD! After about an hour of this and customs I finally was able to retrieve my bags and be on my way. I found the landscape of Uganda very beautiful and it saddens me a bit to see that a beautiful country had been destroyed by years of civil conflict. Kampala, I felt was a very well organized and a somewhat modern city for Africa- you could not feel the effects of the conflict in this city. This would not be the case once we arrive at the Refugee Settlements. There was a vast difference between the “haves” and “have-nots”, but that is very common I have found in third world countries. It was easy to get around in a vehicle (as long as you are good at swerving into oncoming traffic and passing other cars : ) After spending one night in Kampala, we met with the International Medical Corp team in the morning for a briefing and then were off for our 6 hour car journey to the refugee settlements. The 6 hour drive took us far outside the city center and gave us a taste as to what life in rural Uganda was like, but more importantly as to what life was like for those displaced by civil conflict and now living in Refugee Settlements.

International Medical Corps Staff

Like I’ve mentioned I work in management consulting, thus I am exposed to various business organizations all the time, each facing various issues. All I can say is that the Uganda team for International Medical Corps is lean and mean and working miracles with the limited resources they have to work with. They also are incredibly humble and dedicated to their work, from Dr. JoJo (Clinical Director) to Claire (Program Director for SGBV) to Jennifer (Coordinator) to Betty (Psycho Social Worker) to everyone else we met . . . there is a common DNA in all of them, they love what they do, they are passionate about those they support, and experts at optimizing the use of any resources that become available in order to deploy them in a manner that will have the greatest impact. They are a team, by every definition. Their work has a tremendous impact on a daily basis and it was incredible humbling and inspirational to spend a week with them.


What was most powerful, was listening to survivors at these refugee settlements describe how International Medical Corps had impacted their lives and how grateful they were for their services. In addition, as International Medical Corps works in partnerships with various NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) at these settlements, it was remarkable to meet with the various directors from these NGOs and governmental agencies and learn the high regard they hold International Medical Corps in. Everyone we met held the utmost respect and gratitude to International Medical Corps and their dedicated work and commitment to the communities they serve.
Their dedicated Uganda Team was indeed an inspiration of selfless individuals working hard every day, leaving their families behind in some cases for long periods of time in an effort to help others. AMAZING!

The Women and Children...

Strength, Courage, Determination, Resilience, and Inspiration . . . all words to describe the incredible women and children I met at Nakivale and Kyaka II. It’s honestly very difficult to know where to start describing our week at the Refugee Settlements, I rather not give a play by play of all that happened each day, but rather share the stories of some of the women and children we met, and tell you a little bit more about how these settlements operate and have a tremendous impact in the life of thousands. I will tell you the most challenging part of this visit was not being able to immediately help some of the survivors we met, as was leaving them behind….had I not had to go straight back to work, I would have happily spent more time there and then gone to Congo (DRC) as well….but time did not allow for that on this visit and I hope I can return sometime soon.


Let me start with telling you that these Refugee Settlements are run and operate through a series of partnerships between various NGOs (non-profit organizations). International Medical Corps played a critical role at the two settlements we visited by providing Psycho-Social services, AIDs treatment, Nutritional Programs. In the settlements they support in the Congo, they also provide direct medical support and train local health professionals to create sustainable solutions for the communities they serve.


Life at these settlements is hard no doubt and resources limited. New arrivals are given some supplies to construct a straw/adobe like hut, food rations, water rations, mosquito net (prevent Malaria). They also undergo an assessment to determine the type of care if any needed. The Office of the Prime Minister plays a vital role in the management of the two settlements we visited.

While at Nakivale and Kyaka II I encountered survivors with similar stories to the women of the article I had read about almost 2 years ago that started me on this journey.

In summary, a little snap shot of the women and girls I met:

• A mother who shared her story of having to flee the Congo back in 2007 after her town was attacked by rebel militia. She recounted the story of being raped during the attack, seeing many of the men in her village shot, having two of her children murdered, and losing her husband and two other children for over a year and then reunited with them at the Refugee Settlement. Not only had she and some of her daughters been raped during the brutal attack, but she was then raped again in her transit to Uganda. She was left to survive in the bush for days at a time completely alone, and somehow managed to cross the Congolese border and enter Uganda, where kind strangers provided her with transit and referrals to churches and other NGOs that eventually helped her and her remaining family arrive at this Refugee Settlement.

• International Medical Corps had played a vital role in her recovery upon arrival to the settlement, as she was suffering from abdominal injuries from the rape; she was psychologically scared and was not speaking. She confirmed how grateful she was to International Medical Corps for securing the appropriate medical care, psychological support, and linkage within the settlement community. They had helped her survive and still be able to take care of her family. Her younger daughter was then suffering of Malaria and so she was seeking support for her little girl.

• We also sadly met a young little girl of 5 that had just been raped while living at this settlement …really shocking to see her innocent face and imagine why anyone would do such a thing. Again International Medical Corps’ role in training community leaders in the settlement that Sexual-Gender-Based violence is wrong is vital to stopping rape amongst the refugee communities. They also were now providing psycho-social support to the little girl and her family and ensuring appropriate care was available.

• We also met a young mother whose little daughter of only a few months was HIV free thanks to the preventive care provided by International Medical Corps to help reduce the risks of HIV Positive mothers, passing on the disease to their babies. This was a heartwarming success story and the little baby girl was adorable and thriving, which would not have been the case had International Medical Corps not intervene.
  
• Then there were other stories of women, who we did not personally meet, but which community educators or psycho-social worker told us about that were recovering still from traumatic attacks faced back in the Congo and now trying to build a life at this refugee settlement. The one that lives most vividly with me is the story of a wife and mother that was forced to kill her husband and four children with a machete by the militia when they attacked her town and raped her. International Medical Corps is helping her recover from this emotional scaring and providing her with the appropriate support. I was amazed to hear she was still alive, I could not imagine being able or wanting to survive after such an unbearable situation.

• The settlements also have some schooling for the children that live there, we were able to visit one of the schools and meet with some of the children that are part of an AIDS Club. Their role is to educate other children about AIDS and how to protect yourself against it by producing songs, skits, etc. The club has been very successful and the children were kind enough to present us with some of the songs they had written to educate their fellow peers. They then had a Q&A session with us and Dr. JoJo from International Medical Corps. It was interesting to hear their questions and concerns. The question that jumped out at me the most…..”Is there AIDS in America?” As we all know, of course there is….but it was interesting to know that maybe these young children feel that only their communities have to deal with this deadly disease.
  
• We also met many little children living in the settlement, some born there, some orphans, but all precious and still able to SMILE…still curious to see who these strange visitors were, still able to want their picture taken and immediately see the results (some may not have known what they look like), still wanting to hold your hand and be your friend. The innocence of these children considering some of their life situations is severely touching and heartfelt.
  
• On our last day at the settlements, we visited an area of the settlement where it was a mainly Congolese population. They were kind enough to let the International Medical Corps team, Genevieve, Brooke, and I participate in some of the skits the community leaders had put together to educate the community on sexual gender based violence, they also shared with us their song and dance. All I can say is that despite all the hardships life may have handed these women, men, and children….their spirit lives strong! It was a true privilege to get a glance at what life must have been like for these people before they were forced out of their homes by war. I say this because in this small community they had been resourceful and recreated some of their instruments from available materials and together played music, sang, and DANCED! They can still smile and celebrate being alive….it was incredibly admirable. To see people with so little, having been through some very awful life circumstances, joined together as a new community and making the most of what they had.

I could write pages and pages more, as it was truly a remarkable experience to visit these refugee settlements. More importantly it confirmed that any support this campaign brings in, can and will have an impact in an individual’s life. If you can even touch the life of one person, then in my mind it was all worth it.

My week with these refugees and International Medical Corps was a whirlwind and I never expected how emotionally draining it might be. The hardest part again was meeting the survivors and not being able to immediately help them. I had never spoken or met a rape survivor before…what do you say to this woman or girl to bring comfort? How can you provide a sense of security? How can you ensure they receive the appropriate medical care in a timely fashion? These are all things International Medical Corps addresses on a daily basis and from everyone we met in Uganda….they all confirmed they are doing an amazing job!! It is incredibly hard work, especially with limited resources. Yet they are getting the job done daily!

I hope you will join me in supporting International Medical Corps’ efforts, because their work does save lives and is helping a population that has been neglected! These are amazing women and children, like our mothers, our sisters, our friends. They deserve a chance at health and happiness...wouldn’t you agree??!!

These women and children are my endless source of inspiration as is the International Medical Corp team. Anything I can do to continue to support them, I will and hope you will too!!

All the best to you all and thanks for your continued support!! Donate now if you can :)

Georgina

Climb Take Action on AOL

Read a little more about our cause on AOL's That's Fit :)


http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/03/09/fit-philanthropy-climb-for-congo/


Spring is here and soon to be summer...so time for the next climb for International Medical Corps and women in the Congo and Uganda. Denali is up next! More to be posted soon.

Leave May 17th for Alaska...seems just around the corner! Life since Aconcagua has been hectic with relocating to San Francisco, prepping for the upcoming climb, fundraising, and starting to organize some additional fundraising events for the Fall! Between now and then I will be in San Francisco, Denver, Portland, Sao Paulo-Brazil, San Diego, New York, Atlanta, and maybe Arkansas! This is when life as a management consultant makes training a challenge...so I will be on the hunt for hotel gyms or good running trails to stay fit until my departure.

Thank you all for your continued support for this cause! Every little bit of help has a tremendous impact on the women and children we are trying to support!

Lots of Love!

G

Aconcagua...A Great Challenge!!

Where to begin on this incredible journey of 3 weeks? For starters, it was a lot tougher than I thought and if I never have to climb on scree (lose rock and gravel) again. . . I will be a very happy girl! Yet, the climb allowed me to push myself physically and mentally to a new limit and continue to work towards a cause very dear to my heart. . . .the women and children of the Congo and nearby Uganda.

As you know I continue to raise funds and awareness for International Medical Corps that is working hard to make their lives a little better on a daily basis. I recognize there are many humanitarian needs in the world, yet in case you are unaware, the sexual violence in the Congo, an area plagued by civil conflict for over a decade, has been deemed the worst in the world by John Holmes, UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. In some areas of the Congo, ¾ of the women population have been raped, with victims ranging from 11 months old to 75+ years old…unimaginable offenses against women and girls have been committed. These climbs are for them in hopes of having a positive impact in their lives, as no woman or child should have to undergo such atrocities. We really need your support and hope you will visit us at: http://www.climbtakeaction.com/DonateNow.html


A little about the mountain….


When I think of Aconcagua a few words come to mind. . . SCREE. . .WIND. . .ROCK. . . .TOUGH. . .but reaching the summit on January 10, 2010 was an uplifting moment and one I will never forget :)


This mountain definitely kicked my butt!


Aconcagua, which translates as "Stone Sentinel" is 22,840 ft, making it the highest mountain in the Americas and the highest mountain outside of Asia. This spectacular mountain is surrounded by numerous peaks over 20,000 ft. and the surrounding lowlands (up to 13,000 ft.) consist of beautiful desert landscapes with a large diversity of flora and fauna. We went up via the Polish Variation Route on the East side of the mountain because it sees one fifth the amount of climbers (1,000 vs. 5,000 yearly) and is a much more aesthetic approach. . .it goes through Vacas Valley.






CLIMB HIGHLIGHTS...in no particular order :)

• Conquering my hardest physical challenge to date


• Being able to stand atop South America and experiencing some incredible views


• Meeting other amazing adventurers and making new friends and getting to spend time with old ones.


• Not feeling alone on summit day. . .I really felt the presence of my loved ones with me that day (hard to explain, but an awesome feeling!)


• Being a little bit closer to reaching my goal of the 7 summits…just 3 more to go (Denali, Vinson, and Everest)!!


• Visiting beautiful Mendoza and Santiago and enjoying some delicious wines (I love S. America. .can’t wait to go back!)
  
  
  CLIMB CHALLENGES
  


• Tent living for 14 nights at various elevations…not to mention no shower… that’s tough on a girl. . .lol


• Trying to sleep at 20,000 feet for 2 nights. . not likely… lucky if we got 2 hours


• Carrying a 50lbs backpack whose frame is too big for you! The 50lbs is bad enough!


• Trying to climb up with severe winds (40+ mph- made me stumble a bit) and sleep when winds hit about 80 mph (thx God our tent held up!)


• Keeping up team morale. . . this is a tough climb and at some points people were just NOT having fun. . .we all had to work hard to keep spirits up at times


• Catching a cold at 13,800 feet with a fever. . .had to stay in the tent one day to recoup


• Climbing up SCREE!! I think the whole team agrees . . we hate scree!!


• Trying to pee in a Nalgene bottle every night-talk about precision! (had several negotiations with myself trying to convince myself I did not have to go!! Lol) That said making yourself drink a liter of water before bedtime...knowing you will just have to get up more frequently is also a challenge!!


• Forcing yourself to eat when you’re not hungry. . .I tend to lose my appetite at high altitude. . .thx goodness for those GU packs! Instant calories :)
  
  
  WHAT GOT ME UP THE MOUNTAIN
  


• Prayers…lots of them! Along with my prayers, thank you to my friends and family for their prayers too.


• I am hard headed. . .lol. . .I told myself I would get up that mountain unless weather or my health got in the way. . .luckily both cooperated with me. I am a firm believer that climbing is 80% mental and 20% physical when it boils down to it.


• Moral support of my friends and family and my good friend Jason on the mountain. . .it was great having a friend to climb with and give me that boost when I needed it.


• My iPod- thx to my “Fun Dance Mix”!! . . . .that worked wonders on summit day (I was only able to use it 2 days cuz the battery went dead)!! It really made all the difference in the world-this was the first time I ever climbed with an iPod. (it was a wide range of upbeat dance music from hip-hop to electronica to top 40 to worldly lounge mixes to some classics like ABBA and Cher. . lol. . .and everything in between )


• My journal. . .a little red book titled “Keep Calm & Carry On” to vent to and share my inner most thoughts when I needed to


• Our trusty guides!! Thanks JP and Seth from Alpine Ascents


• GU!! Yes, I love Gu packs, although most I climb with tend to hate them. One Gu pack an hour on summit day does the trick!
  
  
  LESSONS LEARNED
  


• Your backpack needs to be your best friend, not your worst enemy. ..I will be trading in my Denali Pro pack, the frame is still much too big. . . although I already knew that from previous climbs. . . was trying to save on the climbing gear by not getting a new pack. . BAD move!!


• Test all of your equipment . . .all of it!!


• You cannot train enough! My training regimen will be much more disciplined for Denali. . which is coming up in MAY! Many have asked what I did to train for this climb: Cardio 1 hour at least 3-5 times a week (running outdoors as much as possible); hit the trails as much as I could, but honestly with my work/travel schedule it was nearly impossible; stairs with a weighted pack when possible or stairmill at the gym with a weighted pack; weights and core strength training (I hired a trainer 2 months before the climb).
  o What I would do different: Train with my actual backpack as often as possible; do more core training; hit the trails more (was just tough with work this go around)


• Something that was reinforced: The climb is just as much mental if not more than physical…it’s a matter of willpower and determination


• Bring antibiotics…just in case! Thx goodness Jason had some when I got a fever!!


• Bring yummy snacks. . . your favorite candy , goodies, etc (Starbursts and Gobstoppers saved my life)
• One foot in front of the other. . .that’s what gets you to the summit. . .one step at a time.
  
  
  Thanks to: Jason, Carina, Brendan, Adam, Davis, JP, and Seth for an amazing climb!!!!
  
  LOOK FOR A FULL TRIP REPORT ON CLIMBING.COM. . .Coming soon and I will post a link for you all.
  
  Please continue to support our efforts! Every dollar has a tremendous impact on a life….
  http://www.climbtakeaction.com/DonateNow.html
  
  How Your Donation Will Help Women & Children:
  
  International Medical Corps (IMC) provides life-saving services for displaced women and children in the DRC and neighboring Uganda, including: emergency medical treatment and physician training, counseling to help heal deep psychological wounds, and economic opportunities to help promote self-sufficiency.
  
  International Medical Corps also teaches new mothers feeding practices, provides immunizations, monitors growth, and prevents and treat the three big child-killers – acute respiratory infections, malaria and diarrhea.Please read how an International Medical Corps medical camp is helping Maria, a woman victimized in the DRC, and her child.
  
  Your donation is tax-deductible, totally secure, and will go directly to this cause. Please forward this link to others so we can help save more women and children’s lives!
  
  
  Thank you again for all of your support!!
  
  
  Georgina
  
  http://www.climbtakeaction.com/DonateNow.html

Ashley Chapman Summits Kilimanjaro January 2010!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ASHLEY CHAPMAN!!

Ashley reached the summit of Kilimanjaro in January on behalf of International Medical Corps and Climb Take Action to help women and children in the Congo and Uganda.

We are so grateful to Ashley to taking on this personal challenge for our cause!! Her bravery and dedication are truly inspiring!! She has already raised over $4000 and still going....help her reach her goal of $5000 :)

You can still sponsor Ashley by visiting https://www.imcworldwide.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=981

I encourage anyone reading this to feature your next challenge for our cause and help us raise funds and awareness for a group of women and children living in one of the world's cruelest conflict zones. Take action today and make an impact on a life :)

International Medical Corps continues to provide life saving support on a daily basis.

Way to go Ashley and a HUGE THANK YOU!!! You ROCK!

Hugs to all-

Georgina

Reached the Summit of Aconcagua!!!

Views of Aconcagua on the Trek in!

Summit Shot! Aconcagua 6962 M JAN 10, 2010

Summit Shot!! WWW.CLIMBTAKEACTION.COM

Hello Friends!!

Happy New Year to you all! I reached the summit of Aconcagua on January 10, 2010! I promise to post more details of the climb and journey shortly.

I got back to the States on Jan. 18 and was on a plane the next day for a work assignment in Mexico City and am still here at the moment. . thus life has been a bit crazy to say the least.

Aconcagua was an amazing experience and challenge on many levels and I promise to share more with you all.

For now here are some picutres and remember this climb was to support International Medical Corps and their programs for women and children in the Congo and Uganda.

I recognize there are many humanitarian needs in the world, but the in the case of the Congo, it was been deemed to have the worst sexual violence in the world by John Holmes, UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. I had the opportunity to meet many women survivors living in a refugee settlement in Uganda supported by International Medical Corps this summer and all I can tell you is that these women and children truly need our help. They have undergone horrific experiences most of us could never imagine. These women continue to be my source of inspiration, as they are resilient, strong, brave, and trying to make the most of what life has given them. I will be sharing more details on my visit to this settlement in a future post.

I hope you will support me in my efforts and help these women and children, please visit:

https://www.imcworldwide.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=625

How Your Donation Will Help Women & Children:

International Medical Corps provides life-saving services for displaced women and children in the DRC and neighboring Uganda, including: emergency medical treatment and physician training, counseling to help heal deep psychological wounds, and economic opportunities to help promote self-sufficiency.

International Medical Corps also teaches new mothers feeding practices, provides immunizations, monitors growth, and prevents and treat the three big child-killers – acute respiratory infections, malaria and diarrhea.

Thank you for all of your support, encouragement, and prayers while on the mountain, it really meant so much to me....will be in touch soon!

Much Love,

Georgina