Mera Peak and Baruntse Expedition 2013

Hey, I'm Alex, I'm 17 from Cheshire in Great Britain. 

I'm a young mountaineer, athlete and fundraiser and in October/November 2013 I'm planning to climb two peaks in the Himalayas- Mera Peak (6476m) in the Sagarmatha region of Nepal, and Baruntse (7129m) in the Khumbu Region of Eastern Nepal. I'll become the youngest person ever to summit Baruntse. And to top it off- these two climbs are an essential training benchmark to prepare me for my Everest Expedition in 2014 where I am aiming to become the youngest Briton ever to climb Everest from the Southeast Ridge route and raise £29,035 (£1 per foot) for the Red Endangered Animal Connection Trust and CLIC Sargent. Why? Read on...

Mera Peak and Baruntse are climbed in a combined, 35 day expedition, operated by well known British tour company Adventure Peaks, which in order to join, I need to raise funds. I'll arrive in Kathmandu on the 12th of October 2013, fly to Lukla, trek to Poyan and then to Mera Peak base camp and ascend Mera Peak. Then it's a trek to Baruntse base camp where we will have 10 days to make our summit attempt- returning home on the 15th Nov 2013. Both are beautiful and remote mountains, extremely challenging and higher than I have ever climbed before. It will not only be an amazing experience but will also provide me with the skills and reassurance of high-altitude experience which I'll need to succeed on Everest in Spring 2014- where I'm likely to be climbing with Tim Mosedale.

The £7922 target you see is what I need to raise to allow my Mera Peak/Baruntse expedition to go ahead so that I am able to climb Everest in 2014. It consists of: £6125 Adventure Peaks course fee, £532 insurance cost (approx), £65 for my visa, £1000 for kit and a £200 allowance for medical equipment, food costs and tips for the climbing Sherpas.

But who am I? Why do I deserve it? Why Everest?

If you saw me 5 years ago, you wouldn't have believed that I'd end up aiming for the world's highest mountain. I was diagnosed with Epilepsy aged 9, fortunately I was treated successfully but the seizures and the traumatic experience of treatment left me in a position no child should have to go through. I suffered panic attacks, anxiety, OCD, phobias, depression and a bad stammer as a result. I had no self confidence, determination or self-esteem, and the bullying I got throughout my entire school life didn't help much. In the early days I was too afraid to be anywhere without my parents, or to answer phone calls or socialise because of my stammer. My stammer and Epilepsy stopped me doing the things I wanted to be doing, having fun like a normal teenager.

It all changed when I tried paragliding in Turkey when I was about 14. I don't know exactly why I did- but I'm deeply thankful for that urge of confidence to this day. It changed my life. Since then I've gained new interests in hillwalking, rock climbing, paragliding, scuba diving, photography, running and cycling.

Nothing held me back anymore. I became a qualified PADI Open Water Scuba Diver in 2010, diving down to 18m. No panic attacks now. I even dived with Tiger Sharks in 2011! I became the youngest person ever to complete the National 3 Peaks Challenge in 2011, climbed Western Europe's highest peak, Mont Blanc in 2012 and raised £8000 for REACT and Cancer Research between both challenges. I came 2nd in the Tatton 10k run in March 2012, and I was awarded the Diana Award for 'Courageous Citizen' in December. Low self-esteem? I felt brilliant!

On the 29th of May 2012, I was one of just 8000 Olympic torchbearers for the London 2012 games. When I had the honour of carrying the flame, I felt on top of the world. It represents my struggles and what I have achieved by overcoming them.

I strongly support REACT's view of 'Be the change you want to see in the world'. They work to connect people to endangered animals in Borneo and Malaysia as well as the UK, notably the Orangutan and Asiatic Pygmy Elephant. They do this by supporting reforestation projects in the UK or in Borneo like in the Kinabangtan River and wildlife rehabilitation centres like the Matang Wildlife Centre and Sun Bear release projects. Over 40% of the world's species are now classified as endangered due to unsustainable human activity and this needs to change. Fast.

I have also chosen CLIC Sargent because I lost my aunty and grandad to cancer. I have seen the damage it does to families, the heartbreak and turmoil it causes, and want to give something back to young people who aren't as fortunate as myself, helping them to make the most of their lives.

Please join me on my journey and help me make a difference. Please donate whatever you can and share this to your contacts, family and friends.

Thankyou.

'When the going gets tough, keep going'...