Nishani conquers Everest in the Alps Challenge
Nishani Amerasinghe completed the Everest in the Alps challenge, raising over £18,000 for Glaucoma UK so far!
As a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Glaucoma Specialist at University Hospital Southampton, Nishani regularly sees the impact glaucoma can have on people. She’s also witnessed it in her own family, with her father having lived with the disease for many years. “It is heartbreaking to meet patients whose sight loss could have been prevented,” she said.
Glaucoma UK receives no government funding and we can’t survive without the generosity of our supporters. To aid our sight-saving work, Nishani decided to take on an epic challenge by ascending the equivalent height of Mount Everest (8,848m) on skis across four days in the Alps.
On such a challenge, the average person burns 10,000 calories a day – that’s the equivalent of running three back-to-back marathons! What makes the achievement perhaps even more inspirational is that, by her own admission, she isn’t the sportiest of people: “The most energetic thing I have previously done for charity is cutting off my hair,” she said.
It was far from a walk in the park, with the lowest point coming on the second day when -20C temperatures caused the water in her camel pack to freeze, leading to dehydration and heat exhaustion. Thankfully, after a break and with the support of her guide Stuart, she was able to get through the day safely.
Such determination and commitment is incredible to witness. We truly are amazed by the lengths Nishani has gone to to fundraise for us, and it shows just how amazing the Glaucoma UK community can be.
You can still support Nishani via her JustGiving page.
