The below video is Jason's interview on the Today show before leaving for the climb. Click on the link to view the video of the interview on YouTube.

My name is Jason, in 2023 I will be attempting to climb to Mount Everest base camp and hope to continue to higher camps of the mountain from here. Whilst I wish to complete the ascent to challenge myself both mentally and physically, my main reason is to raise funds and awareness for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, to help people living with spinal cord injury to live their best life.

As you know climbing any mountain, let alone Mount Everest is a huge undertaking for anyone. What makes this expedition special for me, is that in 2006 I was in a serious motor vehicle accident when an overtaking truck clipped the front of my vehicle sending me on a collision course.

This accident resulted in multiple traumatic injuries to my femur and shoulder, requiring extensive surgeries and metal fixtures to repair. The prognosis was that my career as a heavy vehicle mechanic was over, as normal walking and primary arm strength and range of motion would be very unlikely again.

This prognosis was devastating and life changing. As a relatively fit and healthy lad at 23 at the time of my accident, with a great career and my life ahead of me, I found it hard to come to terms with things and fell into depression.

My recovery journey was slow, but after a year of battling depression, countless hours of rehab and self-driven motivation, I started to see improvements both mentally and physically. I first began to regain function in my arms and legs, and slowly started to learn to walk again.

One of the things I missed most after my accident was not being able to work. The day that I started back in the heavy vehicle mechanic trade was like the icing on the cake. With motivation and determination to not quit, I continued my career from mine sites in South Australia and Queensland before I was coaching and mentoring in developing countries such as Kyrgyzstan (4500m, - 40 degrees) and Laos.

These were amazing and humbling experiences, but not a day went by without a challenge, no matter how big or small. Only those who fight that battle know the energy it takes every morning to keep pushing forward.

Three years ago, progressive back pain and sciatica led to scans before a routine spinal procedure was required. A simple day procedure ended with an extended hospital stay due to complications including spinal nerve damage. One leg was barely strong enough to stand, while the other leg was left with no strength, feeling paralysed. After an extended stay in hospital and several MRIs, I was referred to a nerve specialist with inflammation and damage to the spinal cord in the operated L3/L4 region, with a diagnosis of Adhesive Arachnoiditis. Unlike a broken bone that generally has a healing time frame, nerve damage does not. It can take many years. It was tough to accept that once again, I felt back at square one and another setback to overcome.

With the same mindset and resilience that I had adopted in the past, I again committed to rehab and physio, learning to walk again after an extended time off work. The progress of recovery was slow and frustrating, but besides the pain, I had a major turning point in my life.

Someone close to me convinced me that I was still capable of being able to do anything I wanted, and that I had been through this before. More importantly, I was not alone. It started with her buying me a surfboard. A gift that was not only a symbol of confidence, trust, love and support but also a symbol of defiance and inspiration.

This gift gave me the motivation to see my life in a different light, to view what I was missing personally inside, and admire the obstacles that I had overcome. To aspire to achieve something I would probably have never thought of doing, had I not been through this life changing experience, to climb Mount Everest.

After all the setbacks and injuries I have had, it was a spinal cord injury that changed my life, and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Although I feel grateful with the extent of what I suffered in comparison to my other injuries, never less, it is traumatic, difficult and requires incredible resilience to get through. However, I am going to make the most of my life and part of that involves helping other people who have had their life changed in an instant through spinal cord injury. They shouldn't be forgotten; they should be helped.

Spinal Cord Injuries Australia exists to help people with spinal cord injury to live their best life. They help people at every stage whether recovering in the spinal unit, transitioning home, making community connections or achieving their health, mobility and independence goals. A great cause that deserves our support.

In 2023 I will head to Nepal, to see and be on Mount Everest, a long way from once battling traumatic injuries and the low and dark days of depression. An ambitious feat that I would never have dreamed of, or thought was possible after once being told that I would not be able to walk.

I want to share my story and raise much needed funds and awareness for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, so that anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation to me can get the support that they need and deserve wherever they are in Australia.

Please show your support by making a donation to this great cause by using the 'Give Now' button at the top of this page.

I will also keep everyone updated on my progress on this page, SCIA social media and via my Instagram page . Please follow and share with your contacts and networks.