ILLNESS, extreme altitude and bitter cold – adventurer Taz Habib overcame them all on her fund-raising expedition to Everest base camp.
The former head girl of Bridley Moor High School, who safely returned to Redditch last week, still shudders at the thought of the freezing temperatures which left her with a touch of frostbite on her nose.
And she admits it was a true physical challenge.
“My goodness it was so cold – I was sleeping in thermals, a fleece, joggging bottoms, sleeping bag, duvet, fleece hat and was still frozen,” said Taz, for whom combating cancer is both a private passion and profession.
She’s previously raised money for the Rory the Robot prostate cancer campaign in Redditch and now works in the cancer division of pharmaceutical giant Roche in Tucson, Arizona.
This expedition was a sponsored climb to 5,380metres – 17,600ft – and Everest base camp in aid of the Imran Khan Cancer Appeal in Pakistan.
“It was pretty tough,” she said.
“I had migraines from the altitude, a couple of the girls got bronchitis, five people had to be helicoptered off.
“Some of the team lost their appetites because of the altitude but I was so hungry I was scavenging their food.”
After acclimatising for two days the intrepid team set off for Everest base camp on a trek which eventually took them to within their target.
“The next day we were up at 3am and walked with our way lit by torches and the stars to see the sunrise and Everest – I thought my toes were going to drop off it was so cold, however the sights were amazing.
“It was torture, absolutely brutal, but a fraction of the hardship patients in Pakistan have to go through for cancer diagnosis and treatment.”
Imran Khan Cancer Appeal (IKCA) is the UK face of Pakistan’s Shaukat Khanum Hospital, which offers free cancer treatment to patients who can’t afford it. Established in 1994, it was a first in Pakistan as a comprehensive care facility dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Taz’s target was to raise £5,000 and she’s agonisingly close to hitting it.
To get her over the finishing line visit www.justgiving.com/TasneemEverest .
