The Xtreme Everest expedition is looking for 208 volunteers to help research the effects of low oxygen supply on the human body. Volunteers will complete a 23 day trek to Everest Base Camp, at 5,300 metres, completing four sets of experiments along the way. Research into the effects of low oxygen levels on the body have been conducted artifically in low pressure chambers in the past. The results have been variable though, so the idea now is to use high altitudes to create these conditions naturally. The study will be the largest of its kind ever to take place and will combine medical research with some great trekking in the Himalayas - sounds good to us:-)
| The Exercise Bikes Used For High Altitude Tests On Participants |
The aim of the expedition is to study the effect of low oxygen levels on the body, with a view to improving critical healthcare and treatment of conditions such as emphysema, septic shock, and Cystic Fibrosis. Team Leader Dr Mike Grocott waxes lyrical on its value: "people have been telling us that the combination of science and Everest is irresistible and it is certainly rare. Everyone joinning Xtreme Everest will become part fo the largest field experiment of its kind, so can be confident of their role in making medical history."
The project was conceived back in 2004 and involves 20 experienced medics and mountaineers. At the moment they're busy training for the expedition, with a trip to the Alps earlier this month and a forthcoming trek up Cho Oyu, the world's sixth highest peak. They'll then leave for Nepal in March 2007. The plan is to take measurements of oxygen in arterial blood at extreme high altitude, above 8000 metres, for the first time, and set up a research lab on Everest's South Col. Ten members of the team also hope to summit Everest.
Volunteers in the experiment will head out to Katmandhu in April next year, and undergo a thorough porogramme of acclimatisation. They will then have the chance to climb Kala Patar, with views of Everest, and spend three nights at Everest Base Camp. Exercise bikes will be set up at this point, for the medical trials, and also at three other points along the route. Anyone over the age of eighteen is invited to volunteer, and participants will be selected on a first come first served basis, subject to passing basic medical screening tests. So, don't leave it too late ...
Unfortunately, treks to Everest Base Camp don't come cheap. The cost of this one is £2,395, which includes return flights from the UK to Kathmandu and also a £500 contribution to scientific research. It sounds like a lot, but it's a pretty standard price for a trip of that type, and it's all for a good cause.
The treks are being run by experienced trek provider, Jagged Globe. Anyone wanting to take part should call the Xtreme Everest office on 020 7288 3890, email info@xtreme-everest.co.uk, or visit www.xtreme-everest.co.uk.
