Page 7 - BOSS Today Issue 38

BECAUSE

IT’S THERE

BOSS CEO Phil Lawson explains why he had to go
to Everest Base Camp.
was due to join a group of not have been to her liking. So, courage - came out the other and Cho La pass. Those
I friends in October 2016, I was to represent us both. side. interested can read my
walking to Everest Base Camp It had all been Claudia Now, the trip had become full account at ivymillphil.
– not a lifelong ambition, but Wallin’s idea. She and a group an imperative. So we booked wordpress.com.
more of an opportunity that of friends from her village it and made up a group of 16, It was a trip of a lifetime
arose suddenly. in Cape Town had already including my brother Patrick and I’m so pleased to have
I had tried to persuade my climbed Kilimanjaro and and my friend Hamish plus four done it. Thanks to all at Base
wife Heather to come too, this was their next planned guides, four porters and a man Camp BOSS who covered for
suggesting that it would be adventure. I was excited about to look after the yaks. He was my absence. And I’m so in awe
a bit like “glamping”. She being asked to join them described as our “yakman” but of Claudia who battled the
saw through this quickly and and we were all set to go, that always made me picture weariness, lack of oxygen and
sensibly decided she would but then we got the dreadful a hairy quadruped mutation having a heavy cold and cough
be happy to leave me to it: the news that Claudia had been rather than the lithe, weather- to achieve her personal goal.
freezing cold temperatures, diagnosed with breast cancer. beaten, constantly smiling I got back in time to join
vertiginous slopes, squat The trip became impossible for Sherpa that Newari was. the BOSS team taking part in
toilets, lack of showers and hot that year, as Claudia bravely We had 15 days of walking Climb of Life 2017 (see left).
water, the scarcity and price went through chemotherapy and got from Lukla airport Raising funds for the Institute
of wine and the consistently and radiography and - with to two thirds of the way up of Cancer Research could not
bland food - all these would enormous determination and Everest via the Gokjo Lakes have been more appropriate.

December 2017/January 2018 | BOSS TODAY 7