For weeks now Brandy Van Gelder and her friend Kelly Hammond have been training to climb to the base of Mount Everest.
The two Huntsville women are a part of the Everest Trek Dream Team, which is associated with the Dream Mountains Foundation that raises money for several charities. The duo hopes to raise about $20,000 for a good cause.
“We're going through hills and valleys and across suspension bridges and there's many days of nine hour ascensions, so we’re going straight up and straight back down,” says Hammond.
Van Gelder's charity helps orphaned children, while Hammond's helps sick children realize their dreams. For Hammond, that sick child is Didi, a friend's daughter who is bravely fighting a life-threatening disease.
“She's a real sweetie. She's full of life, just like your typical four-year-old.”
Hammond has previously climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, but for Van Gelder this will be her second mountain in less than a year and she's just conquered thyroid cancer.
“I had a complete lateral neck dissection and that took some recovery time and there was some complications with the surgery,” she says. “So I was in hospital for a little bit longer than I expected with a gastro tube and other things that came along with that.”
Van Gelder says raising money for children in need is her passion and her conquering moment will be the toughest and most satisfying.
“When I reach the peak of where we're going on our trek, which will be at 18,000 ft., in celebration of the year behind me, and that part will be pretty spectacular.”
Van Gelder and Hammond's Everest adventure begins April 24, when they land in Kathmandu.
