AN NHS nurse is set to trek to the Everest base camp to raise money for medical staff whose mental health was affected by the pandemic.
Sukdeep Dhadda, TB nurse specialist at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, will hike for 11 days to reach Everest base camp at an altitude of 5,400 metres, a statement said.
Dhadda, 30, from Willenhall, along with two school friends, Susan Ward and Ryan Williamson, on Thursday (4) flew out to Kathmandu in Nepal to start her journey.
She said: “I have been training three times a week at the gym and have a personal trainer to make sure I am in the best shape to tackle the challenge. I also spend my weekends walking in the Lake District and Peak District as well as going up the Wrekin, closer to home.
“Our guides will help us with things like altitude sickness and we have been given all the kit list. The temperatures could get as cold as -7 degrees so that is also something to take into account. I am really looking forward to the challenge now and can’t wait to get out there.”
She has so far raised more than £2,400 for The Laura Hyde Foundation, which provides mental health support to front-line workers including medical staff and police officers.
The health worker said that she chose the charity after working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at New Cross Hospital during the pandemic.
“This seemed like a really fitting charity because I previously worked in ICU before my new role and I witnessed first-hand the effect of COVID-19 on staff mental health and wellbeing," she added.
Originally Dhadda had hoped to raise £500, but that target has already been exceeded.
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