I am a student nurse in my last year of training. I wanted to make the most out of my final placement, so I have decided to embark on a once in a lifetime adventure!

On 11th November 2023 I will be flying out to Kathmandu in Nepal, to assist those in need of medical treatment. I will be travelling solo (my first time alone), though when I reach Nepal, I’ll be greeted by an agency called ‘Work the World’ who will support my time over there. Work the World crafts healthcare electives tailored to each student’s individual interests.

I have chosen to undertake an elective abroad as I have always wanted to learn about a low-resource healthcare environment. I will see a lack of patient privacy where multiple patients share 1 bed, families providing bedside care to their relatives including manual ventilation, traditional herbal medicine being used in place of modern techniques, back-to-basic care like manual intubation without analgesia, and disposable equipment being sterilised and reused. I want to go outside of my comfort zone and look after those in need, nursing patients with advanced-stage conditions that I’ve only ever read about, such as dengue fever and rabies.

Nepal is home to the biggest tourist and expatriate magnet – Mount Everest. From mountaineers, global nomads, trekkers to backpackers, Nepal draws all kinds of travellers. Nepal however faces significant challenges in providing universal health coverage and equitable medical care. Around 22% of Nepalis do not have access to basic health facilities. Healthcare services are generally regarded as failing to meet international standards for several reasons. To give some perspective, there are only 0.67 doctors and nurses for every 1,000 patients, which is significantly less than the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of 2.3 doctors and nurses per 1,000 patients. Furthermore, prevalence of disease is significantly higher in Nepal than in other South Asian countries, particularly in rural areas.

Students before me have managed to raise enough money to fund their whole trip, through hosting events such as coffee mornings. But I am going to do something very different! On Monday 28th August I pledge to swim the height of Mount Everest. The mountain is 8,849 metres high, the equivalent of 354 lengths in a 25-metre swimming pool. I have hired a lane for 5 hours, but going to try and swim this in 3! Those who know me understand that swimming is very close to my heart… Just as nursing is.

My goal is to reach £2,000. If I can raise this much, £1,000 will go to the Pahar Trust. The Pahar Trust improves standards of education, health, and sanitation for rural and isolated communities in Nepal. They build health centres in remote villages where provision or access to healthcare is very limited, often reducing the journey time for patients which can make a huge difference! To illustrate, the local community of Tarkang approached Pahar Trust to request support to build a health centre as the nearest was in Pokhara, a four-hour walk away presenting major challenges for the care of pregnant women, the elderly and those unable to travel, especially during the monsoon season. In November 2016, the health centre opened, providing the community with consultation and treatment rooms, a maternity room, as well as a pharmacy. In every health centre built, the Trust ensure that trained medical staff can use safe and clean medical supplies to help give the right healthcare to each local community.

Additionally, menstruation is still considered taboo in Nepal. Chhaupadi is an ancient tradition and although considered illegal, it is still practised in some rural parts of Nepal. It involves secluding adolescent girls and women to outbuildings described as mud huts or sheds for the duration of their menstrual cycle. They are often left with little or no supplies, and no menstrual protection or washing facilities causing a range of health issues along with physical and psychological hardship. The Pahar Trust strives to empower and educate girls and the wider community, aiming to tackle the taboo around menstruation.

The remaining amount will help in flying me over to Nepal. I’m hoping you will support me!

Share my journey with me on Facebook from now until I come back from Nepal in December 2023! Follow this link https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093380528246&mibextid=LQQJ4d