Dollars and ascents

August 5, 2011

Mount Kilimanjaro climbers en route to Tanzania for orthopedics excellence

For the Royal Alex’s intrepid team of mountaineers, the adventure to scale Mount Kilimanjaro — the rooftop of Africa — starts this weekend.

At 5,895 metres (19,340 feet), Mount Kilimanjaro stands as one of the true wonders of the natural world. It has inspired poets and writers through the ages and captivated some of history's most daring explorers.

All 37 members of the Kilimanjaro Climb 2011 team are finished packing their bags and are heading to the airport to complete the long journey to Tanzania. Some have decided to leave a couple days early to spend a night in Amsterdam, others are making the long haul all at once. Everyone is in good spirits, except for maybe a few butterflies in the stomach.

On Saturday, the four injured soldiers that make up part of the Kilimanjaro team will receive an official send-off at the Edmonton Garrison with local media in attendance. Corporal Mark Fuchko, Corporal Dallas White, Corporal Lucas Mullens and Warrant Officer Benjamin “Quinn” Beggs will then fly to Tanzania to join the other members of the expedition.

By Monday, all of the team will assemble in Tanzania. After some rest and orientation, Kilimanjaro Climb 2011 begins on Wednesday, Aug. 10.

From Wednesday through Aug. 19, a group of doctors, professionals and business leaders who support the Royal Alexandra Hospital will be enjoying their journey of a lifetime up the fabled slopes.

Each volunteer climber is paying for their own travel expenses to and from Africa and all costs associated with the climb.

As well, each climber is committed to raise funds for the Royal Alexandra Hospital and its new Orthopedic Surgery Centre, a new building dedicated solely to hip and knee replacements and an exciting new hub of innovative orthopedics research.

With support from corporate sponsors, local businesses and the fundraising efforts of the climbers, the goal is to raise more than $500,000 in support of orthopedics excellence in Alberta.

One interesting last-minute addition to the expedition is Dr. Shaunna Burke from the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the University of Leeds in the U.K. Dr. Burke will be joining the climbers as part of a research project to assess the psychological benefits of taking on a unique physical challenge and examine how those benefits might contribute to a person’s overall sense of wellbeing as they recover from physical trauma.

Dr. Burke is also an expert mountaineer who scaled Everest in 2005. She will climb Kilimanjaro alongside the group and interview them at intervals during the hike and at the summit.

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