Next April my 16 yr old type 1 diabetic son Dan and I are treking to Everest base camp to raise money for diabetes research and to show other diabetics that having this disease does'nt stop you fulfilling your dreams. Dan has been a type 1 diabetic since he was 2 years old and also has coeliac disease, He uses a medtronic pump which he has had for just over a year now and absolutley loves it.
the link is to our diabetes challenge page where I shall soon be updating regularly with our training progress. Please please please register with Diabetes Uk and donate a small amount in support of our effort and help us raise as much money as possible. Also join our Facebook group Everest Trek for diabetes Research 2011.
You know, I am deathly afraid of heights… And yet, Diabetes to us, is so much like climbing new heights every day… I am just so proud of the journey you guys are doing, and completely setting an example for so many who think life ends once they are diagnosed with this disease. I just can’t wait to see all the postings of your progress…
Will Cross is a PWD that has summited Everest before. Here’s an article about him from a few years ago.
He visited the campus where I teach last year and I listened to him speak (he is sponsored by Novo, and he was speaking on behalf of them). I am sure if you search the Internet you can find more information, but from what I remember of him speaking, he always had 2 infusion sites in his body (in case 1 had absorption issues, he could just unplug and switch to the other one without having to stop and put in a new one). He also carried a few insulin pens (Novo pens, of course and his pump pretty much in contact with his body the whole time, to prevent it from freezing.
And I can’t recall what meter he used or how he kept it warm…I remember that he wanted to start his assents each day at like 200 mg/dL, to prevent lows, etc, but I don’t recall how often he tested while he was making his way up.
As a side note, he’s a really good climber and as the link to the story points out, he was the first to complete the Peaks and Poles Challenge.
I agree! It’s really fantastic that you two have set a goal and are now going after it! I did a lot of backpacking growing up through the Boy Scouting Program, but I can’t speak much about pump therapy and backpacking/climbing b/c I was on MDI during that time. I’m looking forward to updates about how training and prep work is coming as you prepare for the climb!
Just read about him, He is an amazing man, We are only trekking to 17,500 ft which will be an enormous challenge for Dan but Will Cross went to the summit and did it using injections which I find staggering, We only considered Dan doing base camp because of the pump.
Dan is a real inspiring kid, despite everything that diabetes has thrown at him he keeps smiling and battling on, and his attitude to this trek and the training involved is fantastic. He had an email from Sir Steve Redgrave a few weeks ago praising him for his efforts in showing other diabetics that you can follow your dreams and wishing him luck. ( In case you don’t know Steve Redgrave was a 5 time olympic champion rower who has type 1).
Many thanks for your input, we welcome any ideas or advice people may have.
Dan knows no life other than his with diabetes and lives everyday to the fullest, his attitude is ‘so what, it aint holding me back’ i will put regular postings about our preparations and when we have started I will ask my wife to update the site as and when I am able to contact her.
Thankyou for your support, we have had a surge of members on the Facebook group thanks to you and have now gone over 1,000 which is fantastic so again thankyou.
I think you’ll be golden w/ the pump! Allowing you to change basal rates will be fantastic. 17,500 is definitely not a number to scoff at, so I would not say you’re “only trekking” to that distance! That’s awesome. And the views and photos you get from base camp will be aaaaaaaaaamazing
It’s inspirational just to hear that Dan is so willing to keep his head up and keep pushing forward, despite life’s sometimes difficult trail. That’s awesome!
And to get an email from Sir Steve Redgrave is really awesome as well! Good luck and again, I look forward to reading about your adventures!!!
We have a Diabetes Champion living here in Canada . Sebastien Sasseville who did Everest …the first Canadian with type 1 diabetes …maybe the only Canadian !!! He is also a TuD member . I hope you can get a hold of him ; he will be able to tell his experiences on top of the mountain ; he has done other peaks as well …a while back I sent him a couple of messages with NO response . As far as I now, he wears an Animas pump …did Ironman Arizona last fall .
Good Luck with all, the both of you are doing …the celiac disease another added " thing" to handle !
PS FYI : Canadian Dr. Ian Blumer is one of the Authors of Celiac Disease for Dummies …recently made available ( amazon ) .
Hi Nel
Just read about him on his website, what an amazing man. He led groups of young diabetics to both everest base camp and kilimanjaro as well as reaching the summit. I have emailed him but I wont hold my breath for a reply.
Thankyou for your info though it was very helpful
Back from a tough session in the gym. Dans Bs was 9 when we started, he does’nt tend to reduce his basal rate while working out. he had a carb snack before we left for the gym and his Bs was 3.9 when we finished. At the moment we are trialing various snacks to see what he likes and what effect they have on his sugar levels.
And he just may connect I have met him several times , here in Canada …nice kid .I could be his Grandma …age wise .
Another chap I know, Chris Jarvis , has a blog ( may need a bit of updating ) on the Medtronic website is an Canadian Olympic Rower as well …he blogs about exercise , temp basals , food , etc.
Chris advised me , when we both participated in the Victoria , BC ,Oct. 2009 Marathon …he did the full in about the same time I did the half M …cancel the temp basal , as soon as I have crossed the finish line and give a small bolus( I did .2 u , ) to avoid the Hi after 3 plus hour of exercise …and it worked for me !!
To add to my note and not sure, if this would be helpful : Sheri Colberg , from the US ,type 1 person , author is a well respected writer about exercise and living with diabetes
Thanks Nel,
I’ll look into them both, its amazing really that people do these fantastic challenges despite having diabetes, its inspirational to people like my son…Life is what you make it
I’ve had a reply from Sebastien Sasseville, he wants me to phone him to discuss trekking and altitude as there
is so much that he has to tell me about. So thankyou for your info on him, i’m really looking forward to the call.
and his pump pretty much in contact with his body the whole time, to prevent it from freezing.
I have met him several times , here in Canada …nice kid .I could be his Grandma …age wise .