We’re blown away by Grace’s story – together with her godmother, she trekked over 72 hours to Everest basecamp and raised nearly £10,000!
Grace will be sharing the money between Seashell and another charity of her choice. “I chose Seashell as my close friend’s brother was a student,” said Grace. “I heard a lot about the important and outstanding work conducted at Seashell, so they immediately sprung to mind when choosing a charity.”
Grace completed the challenge with her godmother Kellie, who came up with the idea. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it would be something I’d never forget,” said Grace. “I began running as much as possible in preparation, although living in London and going on practice walks in similar conditions was tricky!”
Over the course of nine days, Grace and Kellie ascended to Everest Basecamp from Lukla, a small town in Nepal. Each day consisted of 8-12 hours of trekking, and it took two full days to descend. “It was an inexplicably incredible experience. It’s difficult to summarise, as throughout the two weeks I felt such an array of emotions.”
An unexpected highlight during the trip were the personal connections formed between the 20 people in their group. “Everyone was living in the UK but from different corners of the world, and we all brought something unique,” said Grace.
During the countless hours of hiking, it was the ‘seemingly meaningless’ conversations that helped to pass the time and keep them motivated. “A five-hour steep path uphill was painful, but before you knew it you had reached the top, after having an in-depth heated debate about the best Dairy Milk product!”
The hardest part of Grace’s challenge was during the descent, where she caught a flu-type illness that heavily restricted her breathing. “Steps that my body hardly noticed the day before became very painful,” she said. “However, after some hearty Dal Bhat (a traditional meal from southern Nepal), support from the doctor, and the patience and kindness of our sherpa, we made it to our lodging at a snail’s pace.”
Reflecting on her epic journey, Grace felt immense pride, not just for herself but for everyone in her group. “I absolutely loved exploring Nepal and feeling so immersed in each day without the usual distraction of technology or other creature comforts.”
Grace says she will definitely take on another challenge in the future, and has a few in mind already. If you would like to support Grace’s fundraiser and help her achieve her £10,000 target, click the link below:
