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The Challenge

This description is taken from the global adventure challenges description:

This is one of  the most unique of charity events, as we spend six days sledding through the rolling highlands and deep forests of Lapland for an experience you will never forget. Our charity challenge is to sled 250km from Norway, into Sweden through untouched nature, in order to finish at the world famous Ice Hotel (the original!) in Jukkasjarvi!

Our challenge begins in the Arctic city of Tromso, where we make our way to the Dog Sled Centre in order to meet our husky companions. After meeting and greeting our furry friends, we then dive straight into the spirit of adventure and spend our first night in a traditional Lavvo, surrounding the roaring fire.

This is no ordinary charity challenge – we will be required to erect our own tents, cook for ourselves and fulfil all camping duties with the equipment provided. In addition to looking after ourselves, we’ll also be responsible for looking after our teams of huskies – be assured, this is a true, “hands on” wilderness challenge!

What I have found out since is such little facts as:

It can be down to -20c, we eat boil in the bag food, sleep to a tent. No showers, toilets (in fact we have to burn our 'paper' waste on the camp fire) or electricity. Anything that we do not want frozen in the morning has to be kept in our sleeping bags with us. We are out of contact from the world and do not expect to see anyone else for days at a time. It can be dangerous - the sleds go at some speed - falling off and crashing will be dangerous. Evacuation is difficult in this situation!!!

Why 'CORE'?

http://www.corecharity.org.uk/

From their site:

Core is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to fighting all diseases of the liver, gut and pancreas.

In the UK, 3m people every year are diagnosed with a digestive disorder and one in eight deaths are linked to a GI condition.

We want to uncover the causes of these diseases, find cures and improve patient outcomes.

In the past decade we have committed over £5,000,000 to fund ground-breaking, life-saving research and more than 200,000 people every year use Core’s impartial evidence-based information to take control of their condition.

The Personal Angle:

My life has been touched in many ways form problems in this area:

My Adoptive Father died in 2012 with stomach cancer - a horrible fast growing cancer, that unless caught so early, has no chance of survival. He died at home vomiting up blood - not pleasant.

A friend, thankfull, has done much better - thanks to his spirit and the skill of his surgeons he has beaten osephageal cancer. Normally another desperately bad prognosis cancer - we need more stories life this.

On less serious but just valid - I have severe motily problems in my gullent and reflux, as did my mother and grandmother. My sister has had her gallbladder out.

Just think - how many people in your circle of friends do you know that have had problems like this:

Liver cancer, stomach cancer, oesphageal cancer, gallbladder problems, reflux,hiatus hernia, stomach ulcers - This is an area that can affect EVERYONE!!!

Please help me raise some funds for research and support - who knows - hopefully you won't need them, but someone in your family may.

 Update 8th March

Just been to a talk on the Husky challenge to prepare us. They made no secret of the fact that this is a tough challenge and we will be uncomfortable, we will hurt and it will be rewarding. We learnt about the dogs, the tents, the food, the lack of toilets and the accidents. Its going to be amazing. I am certainly right to concentrate on stamina building and upper body strength. We have the kit list with lots of recommendations.

Keep watching - more to come...