Today marks the beginning of Diabetes Week 2019, and at Diabetes Digital Media our aim this week is to redefine diabetes: redefine what people with diabetes can achieve, and raise awareness of the tremendous health transformations and success stories worldwide. Follow our Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the week for special guest interviews, features and other Diabetes Week content.
Climbing Mount Everest is a near insurmountable achievement for most people. It takes untold grit, determination and most importantly, years of climbing experience and detailed preparation in order to make the ascent.
Last month, Taylor Adams became the reported fourth person in the world with type 1 diabetes to climb Mount Everest.
US-born Taylor uses an insulin pump which kept his blood glucose well-controlled during the 8,848 metre-climb, and in the process he strived to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes and fundraise for charity JDRF.
Taylor told the Daily Hampshire Gazette about the extensive planning and research he had to do before the trek, such as ensuring his insulin didn’t freeze or become too warm in the high altitude.
“It was pretty much just always having to keep everything on my body, like in my inner pockets so it wouldn’t freeze and then at night keeping everything in my sleeping bag with men, which made it very difficult to fit into my sleeping bag,” Taylor said.
Taylor, a pediatric ICU nurse in Salt Lake City, was able to restock his insulin supply halfway through the climb. A helicopter providing oxygen to climbers also brought him insulin that he had left in Kathmandu, a Nepalese city close to Everest.
Taylor follows in the footsteps of Josu Fiejoo, Will Cross, Sebastien Sasseville – the first three people with type 1 diabetes to climb Mount Everest, as reported by thediabetescouncil.com.
Taylor now plans to become the third person with type 1 diabetes to climb all seven summits, with Mount Kosciuszko in Australia the only one he hasn’t climbed so far.
Picture credit: Taylor Adams
