Xtreme Everest looks to improve the outcomes for critically ill patients in hospital. Current data suggests that 1 in 10 of us will require a stay in ITU at some point in our lives. To date, our research has changed the way some clinicians manage a number of conditions, such as stroke and chronic headache. It has also improved our understanding of the impact of the stress of low oxygen on sugar levels, blood clotting, muscle tissue, the circulation of blood to the brain, heart function, and the circulation of blood to peripheral tissues, amongst other things.
As a research team Xtreme Everest are always looking for ways to fund their research and in particular now, to start analysing the blood that they hold in storage. It costs approximately £14.50 a day to store the blood safely and some of the tests planned currently cost up to £500 per sample. Many of these samples will be used to identify genetic markers of good adaptation to a low oxygen environment. This will guide the development of new treatments.
In July the Xtreme Everest team of Kay Mitchell, Prof Mike Grocott and David Howard decided to run the Bournemouth marathon to raise money for ongoing Xtreme Everest research and for the Sherpas’ Welfare Fund. Sherpas climbing on Everest experienced one of the worst climbing disasters in April of this year, which resulted in the deaths of 16, and injuries to many more. Some of those affected had climbed with Xtreme Everest on our research expeditions. Xtreme Everest could not have achieved the research without their support so they knew they had to support them and their families in return.
Kay took her training seriously, and read Paula Radcliffe’s autobiography hoping for some tips to make it round the 26.2 mile route. Paula talks of counting to 100 when she runs, again and again, to make it through the pain, so Kay decided to give this a try – one count for every breath out and found that it meant she reached about 350 for every mile which helped her to break her run into more manageable chunks. On practice runs, Kay found herself running up hills and, as expected, this proved a lot more difficult than running on a flat surface and made her think what it must be like for a ventilated patient.
Some critically ill patients end up on a ventilator for weeks or months at a time. For some patients their condition will mean that they are ventilator dependent for the rest of their lives, However, this is not the case for all ventilator dependent patients. Where appropriate, staff work with patients to get them strong enough to breathe without a ventilator. This involves training the breathing muscles to get strong again. One way to do this is to reduce the level of breathing support that the ventilator gives the patient for a period of time. Patients are often very aware of their own breathing when on a ventilator. Kay imagines this is similar to feeling breathless when running. So, reducing the support to make the patient work harder must be similar to making them feel as if they are running up hill. The Xtreme Everest team have made a choice to go out running, and experience the discomfort of being extremely breathless. The patients they look after did not make that choice, and have to cope with the breathlessness on top of everything else that is going on with them at the same time.
They all made it to race day on 5 October with one goal in mind – make it round and do it before the sweeper bus! Mike managed it in under five hours, whereas David and Kay took just over five and a half. It was practically perfect weather for a long run, not too warm, interspersed with cloudy moments, but not a drop of rain and very little wind. They are a hugely grateful to everyone who came out to support them on the day and those who have already sponsored them. Currently the total both on and offline stands at over £4000. You can still donate by visiting the website www.Justgiving.com/Sherpas4Xtreme-Everest or texting SFXE99 and a donation amount to 70070. Now to plan the next challenge.
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