Roscrea's Colette reaches Everest for Roscrea Hospice

Colette flies the Roscrea flag with pride at Everest Base Camp

placeholder image — Colette flies the Roscrea flag with pride at Everest Base Camp

Colette is fundraising for a cancer resource centre in Roscrea

Roscrea woman Colette Ryan Hogan has reached Mount Everest Base Camp to raise funds for a new cancer support centre in her hometown.

Colette has raised over €5,600 already for North Tipp Hospice Movement's mission to provide vital resources and support for those affected by cancer in the community and successfully reached the Everest Base Camp on Monday.

Every step Colette takes on the exciting, but very challenging trek will help bring closer to fruition the creation of a centre in Roscrea which North Tipp Hospice say will offer "compassion, care, and hope to those in need."

Colette has solely funded the trip which began in Nepal herself and all proceeds raised by her online fundraising campaign will go towards the creation of the new centre in Roscrea.

Colette's journey took her through the Khumbu Valley to Everest Base Camp, sitting at the foot of Mt Everest (17,598ft) and back. Colette will be spending at least five or six nights at or above 4,000m/13,123ft - which is a serious altitude difference to her hometown in Roscrea which lies approximately 126m above sea level.

Colette on the approach to Mount Everest

Situations brought about by conditions such as high altitude sickness can be life threatening in such hostile environments and Colette, an experienced climber and walker acclimatised to the altitude.

The climate during her trip will vary between warm in Kathmandu (20-30°C), to relatively warm on the lower trekking trails (15-25°C daytime) to cold at the higher elevations (0-5°C daytime). Night-time temperatures at Gorak Shep and Base Camp can be as low as -15°C during the trekking season with snow. Colette traveled with Earth's Edge Expedition Company whose founder is Roscrea native, James McManus. James attempted last year to be one of the very few climbers to conquer Everest without supplemental oxygen.

Colette (holding the Roscrea flag) is pictured with a group of fellow climbers at the foot of Mount Everest

Colette's 18 day adventure began in late September and winds through the Khumbu Valley at a slow steady pace allowing them time to meet the locals and take in the sights and sounds of traditional Nepalese life before returning in early October.

North Tipp Hospice Movement have recently purchased a property in Roscrea town which will be developed into a Cancer Support Centre and all proceeds from Colette's fundraising campaign will go directly towards the refurbishment and development of this centre.

People in Colette's hometown have been tracking her progress and were overjoyed when news broke on Monday that she had successfully reached Everest Base Camp.

Her fundraising page can be found on the Payzone website and is open for contributions at https://platform.payzone.ie/10416/fundraising/campaign/1620