Produced by Michael Maitland, Harbinger Films.
Michael Maitland has captured the essence of our journey in this short video. Press the play button to view the video.
Make sure to visit our gallery to see pictures and videos of our adventures.
Rise Above Barriers
The Rise Above Barriers Society is an organization focused on rising above the barriers experienced through disability. It was formed in order to research, plan and implement a trekking journey in the Nepal Himalaya with a person living with a disability.
In November of 2007, using a modified wheel chair called the TrailRider, Pippa Blake and the Rise Above Barriers Team (Team MS Fits) will embark on a three week trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp.
Click here to learn more about the Rise Above Barriers Society and our objectives.
Pippa Blake on the TrailRider.
The Dream
By Ollie Blake
"Where there's a wheel, there's a way..."
As long as we can remember my mother has wanted to trek in the Nepal Himalaya. In the late 80’s, we got our shots and we were going to Nepal. Ok so Pip’s idea of planning is finding a place on the map and buying a ticket. And that's why we didn’t make it to Nepal and ended up having a two year "working holiday" in New Zealand. Unfortunately between then and now she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and has been terrorizing Collingwood and Victoria in her power wheel chair.
As many of you know, Pip is not one to sit back and let life pass her by, especially with MS. Even though the mountains in Collingwood are smaller than those in B.C. and Nepal, Pip was determined to make her way up Osler Bluff every day during lunch. This continued even after she was diagnosed with MS, with each climb up Osler becoming more and more like a trek up Everest. She went through various canes and walkers and fortunately had many great friends that were her "Sherpa". At times, to descend, she was dragged down the service road on a raincoat!
Pippa is always ready to take on a new adventure as long as she has her commode and a couple of beanbags to keep her warm. There was the time she got me sky diving lessons for my birthday with one condition - that she would come along too! Most recently, she visited Africa on safari with "two wheelchairs and a bucket" and was carried to the areas that she could not access by Masai Warriors!
Finally, after a few years of idle threats and random planning (the apples don’t fall far from the tree), we have decided to take on the Nepal Himalaya this November (2007) with our mum.
Nepal here we come!
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