HOW IT ALL STARTED

In May 2023, I successfully completed my trek to Everest Base Camp. At the time, reaching the summit felt like an unattainable dream. But as I crossed paths with climbers making their way to the top, a quiet thought surfaced: What if?

If I ever had the chance, I knew I would want to go while I still had some usable vision - to take in the world from the summit of Everest with my own eyes. With my sight and hearing deteriorating, I realised that if I was ever going to do this, the time was now.

A photo of Caroline standing in front of a rock painted with the words 'Everest Base Camp'. She is smiling, with her arms outstretched.

WHY THIS JOURNEY MATTERS

Two people sitting side by side facing away from the camera, looking out at a mountain range.

I have reached out to various people and brands, and the incredible support I have received so far has given me the encouragement and confidence to take the first steps on this journey.

Through this mission, my goal is to:

  • Raise awareness about the spectrum of blindness and deafblindness through my mountaineering journey, and

  • Promote inclusion in mountaineering and adventure by inviting deafblind individuals to experience the outdoors with me and advancing research on adaptive gear and tactile/haptic techniques.

I believe this journey will go beyond my own summit. I hope it will break barriers, challenge perceptions, and create opportunities for others to experience the world in ways they never thought possible.

Why I want my blindness to be part of this Everest summit story?

Caroline is sat cross legged on some grass next to her guide dog, Bosley. She is smiling with her hands covering her eyes.

I am DeafBlind.. so what? For the longest time, I felt like I had imposter syndrome: ‘Did they accidentally swap my blood samples for genetic testing?’, ‘Did I charm a charity into gifting me a guide dog?’.

One day, I went for a routine eye test. An optician thought that one of the machines was faulty as they kept resetting it. It turns out, the machine was just fine; my eyes were the troublemakers. They said that I must visit an eye specialist at the hospital & that driving is a no-go. My heart sank, wondering what was going on.

8 years ago was the start of my journey into the world of fading sight. Grief arrived uninvited. At the same time, everything finally made sense, with my sudden clumsiness.

It was such a weird moment though. 4 years into uni, and all of a sudden I was going to lectures with a guide dog by my side. I could still make eye contact, read notes & even walk without my guide dog if I was feeling too stubborn! But wait, did anyone think I was faking the whole blindness thing?

Over time, I found my answer. I can't really blame them for their misconceptions. Heck, I even had my doubts when my eye specialist swapped my status from "partially sighted" to “blind”. What I Do blame, is the media for painting this stereotypical image of a blind person.

Caroline is sat cross legged on some grass next to her guide dog, Bosley. She is smiling, with her eyes uncovered this time.

Slowly, I found my tribe where we swapped similar experiences like rare collectibles. Confidence and empowerment followed suit.

So, folks with Retinitis Pigmentosa/Ushers Syndrome like me? We are stubborn until our situation crashes like a car wreck before we surrender & seek help.

As I work towards this ambitious goal, my mission is to change how we are seen, blow away those misconceptions, and maybe, just maybe, crack the code of representing us blind dynamos right. Why Everest summit specifically? Well, that’s for another post...

Touching connections

The role of the Nepalese Sherpa is often an unsung one. Their names may be forgotten, but their contributions are vital to every Everest expedition. As a DeafBlind climber, I understand that building a strong connection with my team and refining communication methods with the Sherpas accompanying me will be essential for this challenging journey. I want to highlight their expertise, resilience, and the critical role they play - not just in my expedition, but in every ascent of Everest. Their knowledge of the mountains, deep-rooted traditions, and unwavering support are what make these climbs possible, and I aim to ensure their work is recognised and celebrated.

I also want to elevate my mission beyond an individual pursuit by aspiring to conquer Everest alongside a local Nepalese DeafBlind companion. So, I am on a quest to find a fellow Nepali companion who, like me, sees the world through the distinctive lens of being DeafBlind and together we can make a meaningful impact on the world, extending beyond the realm of a personal challenge. If you can help, please get in touch at info@deafblindeverestproject.com