Vet moves mountains to remember cousins

Friday 28 September 2018

A local vet who suddenly lost two cousins to heart issues is gearing up to move mountains in their memory.

Amanda Smith has already conquered Mount Kilimanjaro, but now she has set her sights higher – over 600m higher, in fact – as she prepares to climb Mera Peak in Nepal in aid of a charity very close to her heart.

The New Era Partner's 6,500m climb aims to raise money for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) - a charity which works to reduce undiagnosed heart problems in young people.

When asked about her motivation for such a mountainous challenge, Amanda told Express: “I am raising money for CRY who generously support research, provide support for affected families, organise fundraising events and carry out heart screening in schools and various sports associations for this tragic hidden heart disease.

“I lost both my cousins Jenny and Adam to sudden cardiac death at the ages of 18 and 34, so it is a charity very close to my heart. They are my inspiration to get up Theo’s mountain and I know when times get tough, they will be spurring me on.”

Amanda has a fundraising page to raise sponsorship for her climb and has already received over £300 in donations.

Pictured: Amanda has already conquered the highest mountain in Africa and is now setting her sights on the Himalayas.

For her 40^th birthday, Amanda climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, and now she has chosen to tackle Mera Peak in the Himalayas just in time for her 50th.

Amanda told Express that “the view from the summit takes in five of the eight highest mountains in the world including Everest”, adding that it will be a “magnificent” sight when she gets to the top. 

Amanda will leave Jersey for Kathmandu before embarking on a 12-day trek through the Himalayan foothills to the mountain’s base camp. Amanda then explained that the group will spend two days traversing the glacier, which will require the mountaineers to be roped up and to wear special spiked devices called crampons on their shoes to improve their mobility on the ice.

To prepare for the specific challenges of this climb, Amanda has taken a specialist course to get used to equipment and techniques she’ll be using to achieve her goal of reaching the summit. She has also been doing a mixture of cardio work in triathlon training and hill walking in the Lake District and on the northern cliff paths in Jersey with her dog Archie as a climbing buddy.

Pictured: Amanda and her Springer Spaniel Archie who has been accompanying her on hill walks in preparation for her mountain climb.

Amanda will celebrate her 50^th birthday one day after reaching the top of the mountain.

Despite her experience, Amanda said that the climb will push her to her limit: “I am definitely stepping out of my comfort zone, but embracing the challenge.”