WEM Marketing Dept, Author at worldextrememedicine.com

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Dr Nat Taylor of the historic Ice Maidens expedition joins us as faculty for WEMski

11th February 2019WEM Marketing DeptUncategorisedNo CommentsAntarctica, Dr Nat Taylor, Ice Maidens, WEMski, WEMski guest speaker

This time last year, Nat Taylor had just completed an incredible 1,700-mile expedition, as she formed part of the badass all-female group ‘The Ice Maidens’, who skied coast-to-coast across Antarctica using muscle power alone (and broke a record or two along the way). This year sees Nat pull her ski boots on for a slightly different challenge, as she joins us as faculty for WEMski, our mini-conference with a difference.

Nat will be talking about the incredible ‘Ice Maidens’ mission, the brainchild of Nat and her colleague Major Nics Wetherill, where they wanted to take on a formidable challenge that would inspire women of all ages and abilities to take part and do something they wouldn’t normally be doing, or even think was possible. They would be able to collect data on female endurance in extreme environments and show that women have the mental strength and physical endurance to operate in the most hostile environment on earth.

The only conditions to participating in this ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity would be that applicants were serving in the Army (regular or reserve) and were female. In total 250 people came forward and were put through rigorous tests in the UK and in freezing conditions in Norway on a winter survival skills course that would simulate the Antarctica environment before the final six were selected.

The ‘Ice Maidens’ set off on 21st November 2017 for an incredible feat that would see the soldiers led by Nat and Nics endure 62 days on the ice, navigating crevasse fields while pulling sledges weighing up to 80kg and travelling up to 43km a day, all whilst battling temperatures as low as -50 degrees. This expedition was to be one of the biggest adventures of their lives and where for some, lifelong dreams were made!

Using her experience as an explorer and renowned endurance adventure racer, Nat has pushed her body to its limits on many an occasion, and fully understands what it takes, both physically and mentally to take control, carry on and push through in extreme and stressful situations. This is even more prevalent in Nat’s ‘day job’ as a Regimental Medical Officer and General Practitioner serving with the First Battalion the Rifles, based in Wales; having previously served in Germany and Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

With WEMski content centred around real-world experiences of extreme physical and psychological challenges, excellence in leadership, expedition medicine in the extremes, plus much more, we couldn’t think of a better placed person to join WEM faculty than Nat. She’ll be inspiring and educating our attendees with her own experiences of working in dangerous and stressful environments, as well as sharing her incredible ‘Ice Maiden’ story.

Be part of something amazing, book your place today!

Other blogs that may be of interest, include:

Captain Lou Rudd MBE of recent Antarctic fame joins our 2019 WEMski guest speaker line up

7th February 2019WEM Marketing DeptWEMSkiNo CommentsAntarctica, Capt Lou Rudd, mental health, WEMski, wemski speaker

An inspiration to us all, we are delighted to have Captain Lou Rudd join us for this years’ WEMski mini-conference fresh from his epic expedition of crossing Antarctica solo in an unsupported and unassisted gruelling 920-mile journey lasting 56 days – a remarkable achievement!

With a career in the British Army, and as a qualified military ski instructor and Arctic warfare instructor, Lou is no stranger to extreme cold weather environments, but it would take an extraordinary amount of determination, mental and physical willpower to take on and complete such a dangerous expedition. No less so, because this expedition was personal, Lou was undertaking this expedition in memory of his close friend and explorer Henry Worsley, who died attempting an unassisted solo trip just 30 miles short of completing the record solo crossing in 2016.

Stretched to the limits and showing a mental resilience one can only imagine in one of nature’s most inhospitable environments, Lou pushed the boundaries of human endurance hauling a 140kg sled through wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour and freezing temperatures below minus-40 degrees – all conditions he had trained for in the months prior, but still none the less brutal. It was the mental aspect that was a little harder to prepare for, so to alleviate the long weeks of solitude and to have a human voice in his head, Lou took comfort in listening to audio books including Winston Churchill and other biographies as well as listening to a 1980’s music playlist with the likes of Bono and Bruce Springsteen.

Mental health and the ability to deal with working in stressful environments is one of the main themes and discussions taking place throughout our week at WEMski and they don’t come more extreme than a solo trek across Antarctica. We can’t wait to hear Lou share his unique experiences with the delegates at WEMski where he’ll inspire and provide a unique insight into the clinical psychology of leadership, teamwork and the coping mechanisms he’s used when in extreme situations. It is these skills that medical professionals can then transfer to their everyday working life be they in the hospital environment or on an expedition.

Experience WEMski for yourself and be part of something amazing, book your place today!

Other blogs that may be of interest, include:

One Medicine Conservation Course in Namibia

5 excellent reasons to attend the amazing 2019, ‘One Medicine’ Conservation Medicine Course

17th January 2019WEM Marketing DeptConservation Medicine2 Conservation, Conservation Medicine, Dr Rudie van Vuuren, Epikuro, lifeline clinic, Marlice van Vuuren, N/A’AN KU SÊ FOUNDATION, training course, veterinary

Working with the world-renowned N/a’an ku sê Foundation, we’ve designed a brand-new Conservation Medicine course unlike anything else in this area of extreme medicine, a ‘One Medicine’ course. If you’re keen to take your medical skills into conservation projects, nature reserves, remote communities or simply have a passion for conservation, this course is for you!

Open to both medical and animal health professionals you will explore the amazing work of conservation projects and what is required to take your medical skills into the wild. This amazing gathering will allow you to learn from the best, plus you will have the opportunity to network and meet like-minded people from around the world.

One Medicine is a movement to create networks and collaborations between human medicine and veterinary medicine.

5 excellent reasons to attend the Conservation Medicine Course:

• World-renowned team – a highly specialised group of experts including Dr Rudie van Vuuren (physician and conservationist), Marlice van Vuuren (conservationist), resident vets and the N/a’an ku sê Foundation’s medical team will be sharing their experiences and delivering an unrivalled syllabus of content.

• Topics – during the course you’ll explore conservation medicine, African zoonosis, venomous animals, wildlife immobilisation (theory and practical), anti-poaching, survival in the bush, life in remote clinics, rural outreach and infectious diseases.

• Hands on experience – there will be practical workshops on field-proven techniques to inspire and enhance your skills; helping you to become a more effective and highly valued practitioner of remote conservation medicine. You will also visit Epikuro, a remote settlement which is home to the Foundation’s Lifeline Clinic seeing first-hand how this medical facility is serving the wider community.

• Further your career – enhance your knowledge and increase your skillset to ensure you are in the best position possible to further your medical career and become a more effective and highly valued practitioner.

• One of a kind course – newly relaunched this Conservation Medicine course is one like no other. Using the emerging interdisciplinary field of conservation medicine this unique course serves to address the gaps with Zoonoses; infectious diseases of animals (usually vertebrates) that can naturally be transmitted to humans through both academic and practical sessions.

Be one of the first to experience our Conservation Medicine, a One Medicine, course and take your extreme medicine career to the next level. Book your place today!

Other blogs that may be of interest, include:

Desert Medicine: kick start your career as an extreme medic

10th October 2018WEM Marketing DeptDesert MedicineNo CommentsDesert Medicine, Desert Medicine course, World Extreme Medicine

Sign up to our 2018 Desert Medicine course and you’ll find yourself on a journey of discovery and learning in one of the most beautiful settings on earth. The stunning Sharqiya Sands in Oman play host to our Desert Medicine course providing the perfect desert environment; rolling sand dunes, spectacular mountains and only Arabian nomads and camels for company.

As with all the World Extreme Medicine courses, our aim is to provide a practical training course that endeavours to make those attending more comfortable using the medical skills they already have in an austere environment. Quite often in such extreme conditions, the environment can become a distraction and the focus taken away from the casualty and their needs. By offering practical learning in a specific environment and providing the skills needed to survive, course attendees will become better at diagnosing and practising their medicine, which in turn will lead to better patient care.

The Desert Medicine course aims to enable attendees to:

Be better equipped and confident in providing the right assessment and treatment in a desert environment.
Acquire and develop extreme medicine skills that can be used in any austere environment as well as specific skills applicable to desert medicine.
Enhance knowledge and skills relating to understanding, diagnosing and treating endemic illnesses, trauma plus specific desert and heat-related illnesses when presented.
Understand and develop the non-technical expedition skills required in a desert environment such as pre-expedition planning, communication, navigation and trekking, plus evacuation and rescue scenarios.

What will I learn on the Desert Medicine course?
Our Desert Medicine course is a great example of an amazing training programme on the ground in one of the most inhospitable places in the world. Changing it up slightly from last year, this year’s course will run more like an expedition; so real-life experience learning about core and desert specific field skills such as public health, navigation and casualty evacuation chain, interspersed with specific medical training. Plus, the best part of the course, actually getting out into the desert and sleeping under the stars – a magical experience not to be missed!

As part of the medical training on our Desert Medicine course, you will be looking at managing the endemic diseases often seen in the desert. You’ll be learning and talking a lot about the heat and acclimatisation, how to manage heat illness, as well as dealing with potential traumas associated with the sort of vehicles used in our journey.

Who should attend this course?
This specialised course is open to any qualified medical professional wanting to expand their knowledge and skill set in Desert Medicine; with a particular focus on heat-related illnesses and endemic diseases. The course offers a unique learning opportunity whether you are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a beautiful location or need to learn new skills for your job. It’s perfect for potential and existing expedition medics looking to take their medical skills into the extreme, physicians who want a higher level of understanding or anyone wanting to work in an austere environment, as a lot of the core field skills learnt can be transferred across the various environments.

The medics who would benefit the most and are those that will actually find themselves working in the desert or in a hot environment. The majority of attendees from last year’s course were medics who were going to be working in a desert environment and from their feedback, they found the course really beneficial.

Where else in the world could you receive such hands-on experience, be part of a unique learning experience and have an adventure of a lifetime. To find out more and to experience our Desert Medicine course for yourself, please click here.

Take your medical career to the next level – book your place today!

Other blogs that may be of interest, include:

Meet the team behind our Desert Medicine course

9th October 2018WEM Marketing DeptDesert Medicine, UncategorisedNo CommentsDesert Medicine, Desert Medicine course, Desert Medicine team

We’ve brought together a fantastic team of individuals for our unforgettable Desert Medicine course taking place in Oman this December; all with an amazing wealth of experience across the world’s deserts. They will be sharing their extensive knowledge and skills to give you a comprehensive understanding of how to lead and provide medical cover on desert expeditions.

Meet this highly specialised team who will be delivering an unrivalled syllabus of content:

Sean Hudson MBE, Co-founder and Director of World Extreme Medicine

As a former Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the first person in the UK to become a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine, Sean is the perfect person to lead our Desert Medicine course. Using his impressive knowledge and advanced expedition experience, Sean has ensured this will be an adventure you will never forget!

Sean has been involved in a wide variety of expeditions over the last 20 years, from trekking across the Darien Gap and the Thar Desert, to working as a trekking guide and Chief Medic for Raleigh International in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Plus, in 2016 he was the medical lead for the expedition ‘Crossing the Empty Quarter’, the first ever crossing of the Rub Al Khali; the largest sand desert on earth and one of the hottest, driest, most inhospitable and loneliest places on earth.

In 2002, Sean co-founded Expedition and Wilderness Medicine (now known as World Extreme Medicine), which seeks to provide comprehensive training for medical professionals working as expedition medical officers in a variety of extreme and remote environments; and in 2004 Sean became a medical consultant to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, working throughout the Middle East.

Sean and has been exploring and working in desert environments throughout his career and in 2017, he was awarded an MBE as Co-founder of World Extreme Medicine and Medical Lead, UKMed, Cumbria for services to Providing Medical Aid and Education.

Alex Bamford, Military Doctor (Royal Marines)

Originally trained as a physiotherapist, Alex went on to study medicine and is now a doctor in the Royal Navy, spending the last few years serving as a Royal Marine Clinician. Having developed a taste for endurance sport, including running through the Amazon for Men’s Fitness Magazine as part of their ultra-marathon team, Alex is no stranger to challenging environments and extreme medicine.

It was during an ultra-marathon through the Namib desert when he developed rhabdomyolysis, the breakdown of damaged skeletal muscle, that Alex first became curious about the field of wilderness and extreme medicine and has since led him to become involved in the medical support of events in the UK and abroad.

Alex joins our team having completed the 2017 British Trans-Americas Expedition, a six-man military expedition that rode from Ushuaia, Argentina to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska on CCM GP450s. As the medical officer on this incredible 20,000-mile motorcycle record attempt, Alex was responsible for the planning and execution of the medical component of this expedition. From managing a whole team with altitude sickness in the remote Bolivian Andes to being hit by a car in the murder capital of the world, the trip was certainly eventful and put his wilderness medical skills to the test. Over our 6-day course, Alex will share his experiences and lessons learnt from planning and executing remote overland travel.

Mohammed Al-Zadjali, Outward Bound Oman Deputy General Manager

Mohammed Al-Zadjali Mohammed and his team at Outward Bound Oman will be running the logistical elements of our Desert Medicine course.

Having spent much of his time instructing and leading groups of people on challenging journeys across the desert, Mohammed knows the stunning Sharqiya Sands like the back of his hand and will be using his skills to lead the group across the immense sand dunes on a linear path leading them back to base camp.

Mohammed was also part of the amazing expedition team (alongside Sean Hudson and Mark Evans) who recreated the 1930 journey led by British explorer Bertram Thomas. The 2015 ‘Crossing the Empty Quarter’ expedition traced the route taken by Bertram and his team, a journey of 1,300 kilometres, across the biggest sand desert on earth. In keeping with the original expedition this challenging journey was conducted solely by foot and camel train; negotiating sandstorms, unforgivable desert landscapes and combatting the scorching heat.

Mark Evans MBE, Executive Director of Outward Bound Oman

Mark Evans, MBE With twenty-two years spent living and travelling extensively across Arabia, Mark brings an incredible knowledge of exploration and an unrivalled knowledge of the area, particularly in Oman. It was his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for exploration and education that led him to set up Outward Bound Oman in 2009, our base for this Desert Medicine course.

His incredible achievements include completing an 80-day camel expedition, a 49-day crossing of the Rub Al Khali, a 55-day 1,700 km solo kayak journey along the entire coastline of Oman from Musandam to Yemen, and extensive remote 4×4 journeys throughout Saudi Arabia and Oman.

In 2011 Mark was awarded the MBE for his work using expeditions to promote intercultural understanding between young people from western and Arab cultures. Mark is a fellow of the Explorers Club of New York, and The Royal Geographical Society in London and in 2018 was made an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

Join us this December; learn with this incredibly experienced and knowledgeable team, and be part of something amazing. Book your place today!

Other blogs that may be of interest, include:

World Extreme Medicine Desert Medicine Course

5 fantastic reasons to attend the extraordinary 2018 Desert Medicine Course

10th September 2018WEM Marketing DeptUncategorised2

Join World Extreme Medicine for an unforgettable 6-day Desert Medicine course in the stunning Sharqiya Sands, Oman; where you’ll focus on learning the medical and survival skills required to lead and provide medical cover on desert expeditions. If you’re keen to take your medical skills into an extreme environment such as the desert, this course is for you!

Using the recently opened Outward Bound Oman Desert Centre as your base, the WEM faculty team led by Sean Hudson MBE, who brings an incredible wealth of exploration knowledge and working in desert environments to the course, and was awarded an MBE for services to ‘Providing Medical Aid and Education’, will take you on a two-part expedition through the Sharqiya Sands. It’s here you’ll learn to work with the environment, overcome the obstacles of the desert and increase your knowledge and skill set regarding Desert Medicine.

This specialised course is open to all health professionals and is ideal for potential and existing expedition medics looking to take their medical skills into the extreme. This amazing gathering will allow you to learn from the best, plus you will have the opportunity to network and meet like-minded people from around the world.

5 excellent reasons to attend the Desert Medicine Course:

Expert team – our expert Desert Medicine team led by Sean Hudson, MBE will be drawing from their own personal extensive experience across the world’s deserts and sharing their knowledge and skills, giving you a comprehensive understanding of how to lead and provide medical cover on desert expeditions.
Hands on experience – throughout your week with us you’ll learn clinical skills and field proven techniques that will ensure you leave the course feeling confident in your ability to lead and keep your expedition team healthy in a desert environment.
Earn CPD credits and further your career – enhance your knowledge and increase your skill set to ensure you are in the best position possible to further your medical career and become a more effective and highly valued practitioner. For those attending and completing the course, accreditation will be offered (we estimate 30 hours of CPD) through the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Desert Medicine topics explained – during the course you’ll explore many topics including standard operating procedures for a desert environment, pre-expedition planning, basic navigation and communication in the desert, burn management, heat-related illness and hydration, how to manage snake, scorpion and spider envenomation’s and managing fractures and dislocations in the wilderness.
Unique desert location – offering exceptional wilderness conditions of the like you’ll not witness anywhere else in the world; with towering sand dunes reaching 100m in places, spectacular mountains that reach up to 10,000 feet into the sky and a desert that extends over an area of up to 10,000 square kilometres.

Our Desert Medicine course also comes highly recommended from past course attendees:

“I took the course in 2017. It was an excellent adventure and a real learning lesson. The Oman sites were beautiful, and everyone was professional. I have been to a few events like this, but you can tell the staff and guides were also having a great time. A blend of wilderness medicine, along with the much needed “this is what really works, I know I tried it” knowledge. I would recommend to anyone wanting to explore and learn outside the box.”

Jeremy, 2017 Desert Medicine course attendee

___________________________________________________________________________________

Join us this December and experience our Desert Medicine course for yourself. Be part of something amazing and take your extreme medicine career to the next level.
Book your place today!

Other blogs that may be of interest, include:
Why Shariqiya Sands provides the perfect desert classroom

Desert Medicine Course: Why Sharqiya Sands in Oman provides the perfect desert classroom

14th August 2018WEM Marketing DeptDesert Medicine2 Desert Medicine, Desert Medicine course, Oman, Sharqiya Sands

Offering exceptional wilderness conditions of the like you’ll not witness anywhere else in the world; with towering sand dunes reaching 100m in places, spectacular mountains that reach up to 10,000 feet into the sky and a desert that extends over an area of up to 10,000 square kilometres – Oman is the perfect home for the World Extreme Medicine Desert Medicine Course.

Over one-week the WEM faculty team led by Dr Sean Hudson MBE who has been exploring and working in desert environments throughout his career and was awarded an MBE for services to ‘Providing Medical Aid and Education’, will take you on a two-part expedition on foot, supported by vehicles and camels through Sharqiya Sands, your home for the duration of the course and where you will learn to overcome the obstacles of the desert, increase your knowledge and skill set regarding hot weather medicine and work with the environment to make the most of your desert expedition.

Here are just a few of the reasons that make Sharqiya Sands the perfect desert classroom:

The location
Sitting on the edge of the largest sand desert on the planet known as the ‘Empty Quarter; the hottest, driest, most inhospitable place on earth, lies Sharqiya Sands. A remote yet inspirational vast wilderness covering 12,500 square kilometres that provides the perfect environment to explore the desert and learn desert medical and survival skills amongst the stillness of the dunes.
Accessibility
Although remote, today you can reach Sharqiya Sands in less than two hour’s drive from the capital city of Muscat, on a modern, three-lane highway. Despite the new road, once you are in the sands, they remain one of those unique, increasingly scarce, silent places where mobile phones don’t work, and where there is little evidence of human activity beyond the local Bedouin community.
Unique desert conditions
As you will discover when on the course, Sharqiya Sands is a ‘living’ desert offering unparallelled conditions perfect for challenging expeditions. Due to its unique location bordering the coastline, the nearby sea regularly results in a heavy dew and thick fog that provides 1mm of rainfall a day delivering life-giving moisture to the arid desert but can also mean you wake up with a wet sleeping bag! This thick fog can make navigation a challenge, especially first thing in the morning, so basic navigation skills are an essential part of your learning on this course.
State of the art training facility
Authorised by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Al Said, ruler of Oman, the Outward Bound Oman Desert Centre is a spectacular purpose-built centre for outdoor learning, the first of its kind in Oman. Officially opened in October 2017 it provides an ideal base located amongst the dunes of the Sharqiya Sands from which to start and end your Desert Medicine learning experience.
Sharqiya Sands is the most intensely studied desert ever
The Royal Geographical Society ran the first integrated geographical survey of one of the greatest sand sea deserts in the world, the ‘Oman Wahiba Sands Project’ between 1984 – 1987 with their top scientists analysing this unique desert environment. The survey showed the area has a unique range of mobile, stable and cemented sands (aeolianite) and a diverse flora and fauna with over 16,000 invertebrate species and 130 flora species in this environment of unique importance.
A warm welcome and great hospitality
It’s well known across the lands of the Empty Quarter of the Arabian Peninsula that the Sultanate of Oman is one of the most hospitable countries in the world. The Omani people are known for their legendary hospitality and an unofficial policy of “everyone is my friend, no-one is my enemy” means you will be met with a warm welcome and a friendly face.

To find out more about our Desert Medicine course, please click here. Take your medical career to the next level – book your place today!

Would you have the confidence to assess and treat a high-stress Paediatric Trauma case?

25th July 2018WEM Marketing DeptTraumaNo Commentsextreme medicine, Paediatric Trauma, Paediatric Trauma and Acute Care course

Paediatric trauma and the acutely ill is on the rise within the health service, and with plenty of enthusiastic feedback requesting such a course, our Paediatric Trauma and Acute Care course is back by popular demand following its successful launch in 2018.

Eoin Walker, a London HEMS Paramedic, UKMED Team Member, WEM MSc in Extreme Medicine Faculty and the Paediatric Trauma course leader said:

“Paediatric trauma and illness is thankfully so rare that when a case does present itself, there can be a nervousness and anxiety that pre-hospital providers feel when treating these patients. Through my own experience dealing with trauma patients, I truly believe that knowledge breeds confidence, which is why a course such as this new Paediatric Trauma course provides the perfect opportunity to get smart, improve your knowledge and skills and ultimately provide the gold standard of critical care that we aspire to.”

When dealing with our smaller patients, it’s vital to understand a paediatric trauma will need to be handled in a different way, as they will present a different pattern of injury than an adult in trauma, which means the assessment and treatment of the underlying illness will require a different approach that many medical professionals won’t have come up against before. Fortunately, these cases are rare and often unique, but it does beg the question ‘Would you know how to handle and have the confidence to assess, treat and manage such a high-stress situation?

We believe it’s prudent to train for all eventualities, especially when specific knowledge and skills could potentially optimise the outcome and intervention required, which is why this course has been specifically designed for all medical and allied health professionals dealing with paediatric emergency care around the world and for those working in challenging and under-resourced conditions.

Mark Hannaford, Managing Director & Founder of World Extreme Medicine (WEM) added:

“As a parent and the founder of WEM, I have been wanting to get this course off-the-ground for quite a while. Our aim, working with the remarkable Eoin Walker and with a number of well-placed partners, is to make this overseas specific so WEM medics working in low-resourced medical systems will be better equipped to deal with paediatric emergencies helping to save lives and improve, one small step at a time, remote healthcare”

This practical 2-day course will provide universal guidelines on how to treat paediatric trauma patients in a pre-hospital environment, practical integrated workshops and enhanced fidelity simulations providing you with the skills to feel more confident in treating sick children plus group discussions to share knowledge and experiences as well as the opportunity to examine best practice around scene management and high stress situations.

The course will also cover areas such as paediatric trauma assessment and airway, remote paediatric care, intraosseous insertion access and pain management, paediatric traumatic cardiac arrest and medical assessment tools which you may be unfamiliar with. There will be panel discussions with paediatric case scenarios and the opportunity to learn non-technical skills & troubleshooting, a necessity when dealing with paediatric trauma cases as they play such a big part in how you treat the injured patient.

The Paediatric Trauma course aims to enable attendees to:

Feel better equipped and more confident when presented with a paediatric trauma case, so they feel comfortable providing the right assessment and intervention.
Acquire and develop specific skills applicable to paediatric trauma medicine.
Enhance knowledge and skills relating to understanding, diagnosing and treating paediatric trauma when presented.
Understand and develop the non-technical skills required in paediatric trauma cases such as scene management, listening, handover, leadership and following the correct shared mental health model.

To find out more about our Paediatric Trauma and Acute Care course, please click here. Take your medical career to the next level – book your place today!

Thai Cave Rescue: What was the impact of being trapped underground?

11th July 2018WEM Marketing DeptDiving MedicineNo Commentscave diving, Dive Medicine, rescue operation, thai cave rescue, thailand cave rescue, trapped underground

Thailand Cave Rescue

World Extreme Medicine and expedition medic Dr Alex Rowe explains the impact of being trapped underground and the challenges they would have faced.

What were the main challenges?
When we look back at the challenges faced by these children, with the lack of safe water, and also the lack of food, it can be split it into 2 things. The main risk to their health would have been with the water and risk of infection which would cause diarrhoea and potentially quite serious dehydration. The food aspect wasn’t quite so important, and they should be able to make a full recovery from the lack of food.

What impact could lower oxygen levels in the cave have had?
If the reduction in oxygen is gradual, then actually the human body could adapt to that. If the oxygen levels were reducing they would have got symptoms that are similar to altitude illness, such as headaches, nausea and a reduction in appetite. If there was a more rapid reduction in oxygen concentration they could go on to develop lung complications and brain complications as well, but at present, this doesn’t look to be the case. There would have also been another issue with the gases in there, in particular, the increased levels of carbon dioxide. There would have been a risk that it would gradually build up in the body, and again make you feel nauseous, it would make you flush, it would make you feel hot and eventually, it would probably make you feel drowsy and eventually would cause unconsciousness.

What did the doctors do to help those trapped in the cave?
The longer anyone is trapped, the worse their bodies will become, so their muscles will be wasting, they’ll be getting weaker over time, and the important thing here is to actually make sure they have the right nutrition. So, they will need a good amount of protein and a good amount of carbohydrates; really the usual balanced diet. Ideally, you would want to be using the muscles as much as you can, but the downside of that is if you start using muscles and doing active exercise that then increases the amount of oxygen you need.

How does a long period in the dark affect people?
The main issue with being in the dark is actually total lack of time perception, and also you tend to lose your normal body rhythms as well. So normal circadian rhythms are lost, and your body can’t really cope with that. And then in terms of the eyes as well, interestingly over time, especially in pitch black, the eyes stop being able to respond to light. It makes the eyes incredibly sensitive when people leave any prolonged dark environment. However, that is reversible.

Will their bodies be able to recover?
The physical problems are probably recoverable unless they received any severe injuries during the rescue attempt and even those can be rehabilitated. But, in terms of the physical aspect, that should all be rebuildable with rehabilitation and good diet.

The teammates have now been reunited in the main hospital in Chiang Rai city and are said to be in quarantine for the time being while they are closely monitored, receive vaccinations for rabies and tetanus and build up their strength.

Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, an inspector for Thailand’s health department, told reporters: “From our assessment, they are in good condition and not stressed. The children were well taken care of in the cave. Most of the boys lost an average of 2 kg in weight during their time trapped in the cave.”

What is re-feeding syndrome that WEM referred to?
We were very fortunate to have the input of Karen Allsopp a Specialist ICU Dietitian in Macclesfield

‘You asked at what point the boys’ metabolisms will be now. If they’ve had very few calories so far, then they’ll still be in the starvation stage – where the body adapts by minimising insulin levels, and running with low blood glucose levels and adjusting renal excretion of electrolytes down to a minimum.

Once calories are introduced – which for hospital patients in the first instance is often as iv dextrose – the levels of insulin rise quite abruptly – especially if the calorie input is high. Blood glucose levels will rise, sometimes to above 8 mmol/L even in non-diabetics. This shift to anabolism, drives movement of potassium, magnesium and phosphate from the blood into the intracellular space. This can result in hypo-kalaemia/magnesaemia/phosphataemia with potentially serious consequences.

The introduction of carbohydrate can also ‘use up’ the last remaining supply in the body of thiamine, tipping the patient over into acute thiamine deficiency. If not treated by administration of thiamine within a few hours, the neurological effects can include permanent nystagmus and permanent loss of short term memory. This Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome of course is most often seen in the West in patients with alcohol dependency – but can also occur during following starvation during the refeeding phase. A fascinating example is as mentioned, Dr James Scott who was lost in the Himalayas for around 40 days and wrote up his experience in the Annals of Internal Medicine. He started off with a higher BMI than the boy’

Please see many references on the syndrome: e.g http://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/_polici…/pdf/2013-7036.pdf & https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg32/chapter/1-Guidance… – see point 1.4.6.

Mark Hannaford Managing Director & Founder of World Extreme Medicine added:
“In a world seemingly striven by differences and polarity this rescue was a superb example of international collaboration and teamwork.

It had us all, from start to finish, on the edge-of-our-seats from the initial finding of the boys by the amazing divers from the British Cave Rescue Council to the final safe extraction but a diverse collection of specialists from the Thai military to an international cohort of special cave divers.

Amongst the celebrations, we set aside a moment to remember the selfless heroism of Saman Gunan a rescue diver who sadly died in the process of the rescue operations.”

You can also see Dr Alex Rowe on Victoria’s Derbyshire’s BBC2 show discussing in more detail what the immediate health concerns would be now the boys have been rescued.

#ThaiCaveRescue #ThailandCaveRescue

Meet the team behind our Conservation Medicine Course

9th July 2018WEM Marketing DeptConservation MedicineNo CommentsConservation Medicine, Conservation Medicine course, N/a’ an ku sê Wildlife Foundation, namibia

Working with the world-renowned N/a’an ku sê Foundation we’ve designed a brand-new Conservation Medicine course unlike anything else. Our one-of-a-kind course brings together the unique experience of Dr Rudie van Vuuren (physician and conservationist), Marlice van Vuuren (conservationist), resident vets and the N/a’an ku sê Foundation’s medical team.

Meet this highly specialised team who will be delivering an unrivalled syllabus of content:

Dr Rudie van Vuuren

Possibly best known for representing his country in both the 2003 Cricket World Cup and the 2003 Rugby World Cup, this former sportsman is now one of Namibia’s leading physicians (he is personal physician of the President of the Republic of Namibia Dr. Hage Geingob) and a well-respected conservationist.

In 2000 Dr Rudie van Vuuren married Marlice van der Merwe (as she was known then) and it was in 2006 after following his passion for wildlife and conservation that along with his wife Marlice and other founding members they created N/a’an ku sê Lodge and Wildlife Sanctuary, Namibia’s only charity lodge; a place where the conservation of animals and culture are interlinked.

True to its name, N/a’an ku sê means ‘God will Protect us’ in the San language, and the N/a’an ku sê Foundation’s vision is an Africa where humans and wildlife can live and thrive together. The foundation aims to conserve the land, cultures and wildlife of Namibia through encouraging participation, education and innovative activity.

Marlice van Vuuren

Marlice van Vuuren (née van der Merwe) grew up surrounded by the orphaned and injured animals on her parents’ farm,

Harnas, where, for more than 30 years, injured or orphaned animals have found refuge. Her strong bond with Namibia’s San Bushmen, with whom she grew up with on her parents’ farm, not only made it possible for Marlice to learn their language fluently, but also instilled in her a deep affinity for their culture, their traditions and the plight they face in being considered third-rate citizens in Namibia.

In 2000 Marlice married Dr. Rudie van Vuuren, a man sharing her love for Namibia, its often-threatened animal species and unique people. Marlice’s inherent calling, prompted by her lifelong work and dedication to rehabilitating animals and advocating for Namibia’s dwindling cultures, led to the birth of the N/a’an ku sê mission – to conserve the land, cultures and wildlife of Namibia, and rescue species threatened by an ever-shrinking habitat.

Besides her ongoing work in animal care and involvement in N/a’an ku sê’s varied research projects focusing on evidence-based findings in mitigating human-wildlife conflict, Marlice has lent her expertise with animals to a significant number of filming projects. Since the age of 13, Marlice has been involved in various film productions and documentaries, including ‘Beyond Borders’ with Angelina Jolie and in 2008 her life was covered in the documentary directed by Philip Selkirk, ‘Marlice – A Vision for Africa’.

Other notable clients have included BBC, ITV, SKY and National Geographic, with prominent documentary series’ featuring Marlice and a number of the N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary animals. The vast list includes BBC’s ‘Big Cats’, National Geographic’s ‘One Strange Rock’ (the most ambitious National Geographic documentary series to date), SKY’s ‘A Day on Earth’, BBC’s ‘The Hunt’, SKY’s ‘Cats: An Amazing Animal Family’, BBC’s ‘Animals with Cameras’ plus many more.

No doubt Marlice will continue to dedicate her life to a cause that has formed the crux of her existence for so long – that of conservation.

Dr. Kobus Hoffman, BVSc. Veterinary Science, BSc. Veterinary Biology

Dr. Hoffman qualified as a veterinarian from the world-renowned Onderstepoort Veterinary Faculty of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Since qualification in 2012, Dr. Hoffman has worked in various disciplines of veterinary science including private practice wildlife and large animal veterinarian, as well as working as a companion animal (cats, dogs and horses)

His passion for veterinary science, however, lies in wildlife conservation and immobilisation. Dr. Hoffman attended the Zimbabwe wildlife capture course held at Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, presented by some of the most experienced wildlife veterinarians in Africa, where he was awarded the top student award for 2014. He has further completed a practical wildlife forensics course and attended an Advanced Wildlife Immobilisation and Field Practice course held in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Dr. Hoffman assisted in the translocation of 85 elephants in Zimbabwe and was involved with the immobilisation and implantation of activity and temperature monitors in 20 wild lions for a research project. Currently living in Windhoek, Dr. Hoffman is the head veterinarian for the N/a’an ku sê Foundation.

Burton Julius

Burton is a wildlife conservationist and human capacity development practitioner, leveraging capacity for social change and responsible stewardship for our planet.

His enthusiasm for wildlife conservation, the environment, and human capacity development started two decades ago in his home country of Namibia and led to his Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography, Regional Studies and Globalization Theory at Bard College. Following his undergraduate experience, Burton became an educator in the state of Massachusetts and decided to pursue further academic training. He has since earned a Master of Arts degree in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California.

The conservation career path Burton has embarked on has led him to a number of fascinating places and given him equally rewarding experiences and impactful projects both in America and Tanzania. He’s recently found himself back in Namibia, doing what he loves by joining the N/a’ an ku sê Wildlife Foundation’s Research Department, where he has the wonderful privilege of being involved with the human-wildlife conflict initiatives nationwide.

Join us this December; learn with this experienced, knowledgeable team and be part of something amazing. Book your place today!

The WEM Conservation Medicine is a ‘One Medicine’ course. The origin of the One Medicine concept has been linked to the 19th-century German physician and pathologist, Rudolf Virchow, whose discoveries on Trichinella spiralis in pork led to valuable public health measures (1). Virchow coined the term “zoonosis” and proclaimed that there should be no dividing line between human and animal medicine. ^{Source Article.}

Other blogs that may be of interest, include:

Conservation Medicine, A 'One Medicine' Course

What is Conservation Medicine?

20th June 2018WEM Marketing DeptConservation Medicine1 Conservation Medicine, Conservation Medicine course, mark hannaford, namibia, training course

First used in the 1990’s the term ‘Conservation Medicine’ describes the broad ecological context of health. It represents an emerging interdisciplinary field that studies the multiple two-way interactions between pathogens and disease on the one hand, and between species and eco-systems on the other.

Conservation Medicine attempts to examine the world in a fully inclusive way by bringing together the disciplines of health and ecology through the study of the ecological context of health and the remediation of ecological health problems. It overtly recognises the health component of conserving biodiversity and addresses the effects of disease on rare or endangered species as well as the functioning of ecosystems. It is also concerned with the impacts of changes in species diversity or rarity on disease maintenance and transmission.

World-renowned physician and conservationist Dr Rudie van Vuuren, who alongside his expert team will be leading the World Extreme Medicine Conservation Medicine course in Namibia, says “Conservation Medicine is working together with other disciplines in the field of disease and conservation to create healthier ecosystems, recognise and treat diseases that cross the human-animal barrier, prevent outbreaks of these diseases and better understand how our natural environment is inter-dependent.”

Why is Conservation Medicine needed?
Over the last two decades, as human populations have constantly grown and expanded, quite often at the cost of wildlife habitat with animals and plants around the world becoming increasingly threatened, this, in turn, has had a secondary effect of narrowing the disease interface barrier. Complex health issues are now becoming more commonplace and so people are recognising that human health and the health of the planet are inextricably linked.

It has become more apparent that one cannot look at disease only from a human perspective anymore, we now need a multi-disciplinary approach where cause and effect should be addressed. By combining biomedical, ecological and veterinary sciences together, it enables us to explore the connections and understand the ecological causes of changes in animal and human health, trace the environmental sources of pathogens and pollutants, and understand the consequences of diseases to populations.

Who practices conservation medicine?
Due to the uniqueness and the various disciplines involved, Conservation Medicine provides a new vision to those people studying and immersed in the following fields:

Medical Professionals	With many conservation research expeditions and projects taking place in developing countries, where medical facilities are either non-existent or poor, it is vital that there are medical professionals on the ground with the practical skills, knowledge and understanding needed to perform in highly complex and demanding situations.As medics take their medical skills into the wild, Conservation Medicine allows them to learn about such as things as Zoonosis, survival in the bush and infectious diseases that are relevant to their environment; as well as understanding and being part of life in a remote clinic or rural outreach programme.
Veterinarians	Veterinary medicine and veterinarians are uniquely placed to be involved with conservation medicine (aka one health concept) as they have a broad exposure to all 3 role players (human, animal and environmental health).Why do veterinarians get involved? Veterinarians realise that whether you farm with cattle or whether you are interested in conservation, without a healthy environment for the animals to flourish in, the farming enterprise/conservation effort is helpless.
Ecologists	Conservation Medicine goes a long way toward teaching us to analyse health problems in an ecological context as more and more we are starting to see a connection between ecosystem health, human health and animal health with the greater understanding of global climate change, and the wide-ranging influence of human effects on the planet.
Geologists	Conservation Medicine covers human and wildlife health issues linked with either geological processes or the tools that geoscientists use, such as satellites and subsurface monitors. A geologist’s role in Conservation Medicine is to understand and deal with the relationship between natural geological factors, such as the role of rocks, soil and groundwater in controlling the health of humans and animals. They also need to understand the influence of ordinary environmental factors on the geographical distribution of such health problems.
Conservation biologists	Modern diseases and the susceptibility to diseases from humans to animals and vice versa are no exception to these global challenges we face. Conservation medicine is one such innovative approach with which to address these challenges, especially diseases. In order for us to understand the relationships of organism to their environment, then, much like running a diagnosis, we start by understanding the historical behaviour and factors that influenced and led to the current state of imbalance. This enables for an accurate diagnosis, which makes treating the diseases, the imbalance or each of these current conservation challenges more effectively.

The future of Conservation Medicine
In a world where the global impact of human activity is evident in the dynamics of every local ecosystem and habitat, from human-modified landscapes to modern day environmental threats such as global warming, acid rain, air pollution, urban sprawl, demand is now dictating the need to renew the link between medicine and natural history and take a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to the conservation of biodiversity.

More conversations are taking place between interdisciplinary fields than ever before and practitioners are consistently finding themselves exploring new and unfamiliar terrain as they seek to develop and apply global health management practices, policies and programmes that protect the ecosystems essential to animal and human health. By joining forces under a common denominator: health, this new found working partnership will ignite a powerful new global awareness that conservation of biodiversity and of healthy functioning ecosystems is necessary to the health of individuals and populations, human and otherwise.

Introducing the new World Extreme Medicine Conservation Medicine Course
Due to the importance of this subject and with such growing demand for medical skills in this field, as more conservation projects are founded and remote communities more accessible and in need of medical help and assistance, we have developed a new and exciting Conservation Medicine course to add to our incredible roster of inspirational extreme medicine training courses. Open to both medical and animal health professionals this fascinating subject is explored in great depth and will provide skills that can then be utilised in real-life situations.

WEM Founding Director, Mark Hannaford says: “It was following a discussion in Windhoek with Dr. Rudie van Vuuren, a physician and conservationist that we agreed the area of Conservation Medicine was wholly unrepresented by our training courses. Now, more so than ever, as the interrelated worlds of animal and human medicine meet, there is a need to gain further knowledge of zoonosis epidemics and disease outbreaks so that they might be easier to identify and contain.”

“Following our discussion, a plan was set in motion for us to work together in Namibia and create a unique training course like no other. Having already been operating in Namibia for a number of years running our desert medicine courses, we were convinced of the training value Dr Rudie and his team would bring. We are really excited to have created an amazing course that will allow clinicians to look in greater detail at animal psychology and spend more time understanding what we might learn from animal medicine.”

“As well as learning the practical skills required to work in the wild, we wanted to expose people to the extraordinary desert environment of Namibia and bring them into contact with the diversity present in this beautiful country. Through this partnership, we also have the opportunity to advertise when vacancies arise for new medics in his Bushman clinic, so the skills learnt through our training course can be put into practice and provide a willing medic with a career-changing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Working alongside and the world-renowned N/a’an ku sê Foundation we have brought together leading physicians, conservationists, veterinarians and ecologists to deliver an unrivalled syllabus of content that explores the relationships among animal, human, and environmental health and how professionals can work together to make our ecosystem healthier and restore biodiversity.

The course aims to enable attendees to:

Learn and enhance their knowledge about Conservation Medicine and the interactions between human, animal and ecosystem health.
Acquire and develop specific veterinary and survival skills applicable to Conservation Medicine.
Enhance knowledge and skills relating to understanding, diagnosing and treating Common African Zoonosis.
Understand how a Conservation Medicine approach can be applied to a range of practical real-life situations by assessing, assimilating and applying scientific evidence and responding with an appropriate solution.

Through hands-on workshops and field trips, lectures and guest speakers, you’ll explore a wide range of topics, such as conservation medicine, African zoonosis, venomous animals, wildlife immobilisation (theory and practical), anti-poaching, survival in the bush, life in remote clinics, rural outreach and infectious diseases, all preparing you for work on the wilder side of life. You’ll also experience as part of this one of a kind course, special highlights throughout your stay that will leave memories to last a lifetime, including a carnivore feeding tour, traditional Namibian braai and your choice of a Cheetah walk, baboon walk or horse ride through the reserve.

To find out more about our newly relaunched Conservation Medicine course, please click here, and if after reading all about the course you still need convincing that this is the course for you, read our other Conservation Medicine related blogs which reaffirm why this one-of-a-kind course is not to be missed!

The WEM Conservation Medicine is a ‘One Medicine’ course. The origin of the One Medicine concept has been linked to the 19th century German physician and pathologist, Rudolf Virchow, whose discoveries on Trichinella spiralis in pork led to valuable public health measures (1). Virchow coined the term “zoonosis” and proclaimed that there should be no dividing line between human and animal medicine. ^{Source Article.}

Other blogs that may be of interest, include:

Meet WEMski speaker Aldo Kane – Former Royal Marine Commando and now Safety Director for some of the world’s largest TV and film productions.

16th January 2018WEM Marketing DeptWEMSkiNo CommentsAldo Kane, expedition, extreme, medicine, Royal Marine Commando, sniper, WEMski, wemski speaker

As an extreme adventurer, former Royal Marine Commando and now a specialist in providing safety and guidance in extreme environments for a selection of the largest film and television productions in the world; Aldo Kane has plenty of captivating stories to share. He will be joining us at the inaugural WEMski mini-conference in the Italian Alps, discussing his own real-life experiences of extreme and psychological challenges and how those stressful situations impacted his life.

Aldo’s love of the great outdoors first came from his involvement in the Scout movement, where at a young age alongside his twin brother, they would go off on adventures around their stomping ground Arran, Loch Lomond and Glencoe and spend much of their time abseiling and camping their way across the Scottish countryside. It was this love for adventure that led him to join the Royal Marines after leaving school at the age of 16. The pinnacle of his military career was to become a sniper for the Royal Marines, a much sought-after post that he served in for more than a decade and one that would take him on exploits around the world.

During his military career, Aldo also became a medic, mountain leader, climbing instructor, and diver, and it was these skills that he used when he left the Royal Marines as a grounding to form his company ‘Vertical Planet, which is now one of the world’s leading providers of safety, security, medical and risk management services to the film and TV industry. Aldo and his team have provided climbing support at El Capitan in America, ventured into active volcanoes with Richard Hammond, diving supervision in Madagascar, helped Steve Backshall through Venezuelan mountains and offered caving support in Slovakia.

As well as travelling the world, Aldo is also part of ‘Team Essence’, a team of adventurers that take on extreme challenges in some of the world’s most inhospitable environments. His first challenge was as part of a successful five-strong world-record breaking team, including fellow WEMski speaker Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox that rowed from continent to continent (Portugal to Venezuela) across the Atlantic Ocean, in a time of 50 days, 10 hours and 36 min, raising a massive £120,000 for the NSPCC.

From death-defying military conflicts to working on the set of Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Avengers’ and advising actors Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy and Adrien Brody, we can’t wait to hear Aldo share his unique experiences with the delegates at WEMski.

We are thrilled to welcome Aldo to our WEMski faculty and to give you a little taste of what Aldo will be talking about at WEMski, we asked him these three questions…

Q. What skills would you say are vital in an extreme and challenging environment?

A. I believe the best skills for extreme environments are the practical life-saving skills that are specific to each environment. However, I do believe that ‘soft skills’ are much more important in an extreme expedition scenario. Skills such as the ability to work in a team, emotional quotient (EQ), a good attitude, courage, determination and above all cheerfulness in adversity are vital.

Q. What first interested you in practising extreme medicine / taking on extreme physical and psychological challenges?

A. I joined the Royal Marines at the age of 16 and became a sniper at the age of 18. I have spent my entire career in some of the world’s most extreme and physical environments, and have had to learn a few basic medical skills to allow me to operate both on my own and as part of a small team. It’s always a good idea to have rudimentary medical knowledge and skills when out in the field.

Q. What has been your scariest ‘extreme’ challenge/situation and why?

A. I am lucky or unlucky (depending on how you look at it) enough to have experienced several extreme challenges to date, both through work and others as part of a challenge to test myself. One of my scariest challenges includes rowing across the Atlantic Ocean from Mainland to Mainland as part of a crew that rowed the longest route in the fastest time – despite capsizing 3 times! I’ve also carried out a full descent of the Balium river in West Papua New Guinea and worked with Narcos in South America.

To find out more information on WEMski or to book your place on what we promise will be an incredibly fun, diverse and inspiring week, please click here.

Polar Medicine course heads to the Arctic Circle…

16th January 2018WEM Marketing Deptpolar medicineNo CommentsBritish Antarctic Survey, extreme medicine, Italian Alps, new zealand, norway, polar medicine, Wilderness Medical Skills

With WEMski in the Italian Alps just around the corner, another group of doctors and medical professionals is soon to be heading to the cold extremes of Alta, a town in the far north of Norway, to learn medicine and survival skills that will help them on future expeditions in polar conditions.

The course has been developed for medical professionals, expedition and wilderness medics working in cold and high-altitude environments, and will run from the 4th – 10th March 2018 near Alta in Northern Norway

The Polar Medicine course aims to use the winter evenings to cover the essential expedition medical skills required to care for and treat injuries and illnesses likely to occur in this harsh environment, whilst the days are spent in the field, learning practical skills.

The course takes place over seven days and nights, and participants will encounter challenges such as shelter construction, cold water immersion and navigation. At the same time, they will learn about common cold temperature conditions such as frostbite, hypothermia and plan for these eventualities.

London-based Matt Edwards, a senior Emergency Department doctor and pre-hospital physician in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, will lead the group. He has experience of medicine in cold extremes, having spent a couple of seasons providing medical cover to scientists with the British Antarctic Survey, and supported Across the Divide Arctic dog sled expeditions.

Matt said, “With the pressures on NHS doctors and nurses constantly increasing, the polar medicine course gives medical professionals an opportunity to experience working outside of a hospital environment, in conditions that are hostile to humans.

“While the skills that they learn in Norway equip them to support expeditions into the Arctic and Antarctic regions for science, exploration or industry, we find that the attendees’ learnings serve them well on their return to clinical environments in the UK.

“The course focuses on treatment of medical conditions and situations that are common in the polar regions, but within a framework that teaches attendees survival skills in austere conditions. Doctors have to experience the challenges of moving around and living in the freezing cold in order to be useful expedition medics in these areas.”

The fact that this course is useful to hospital medicine has been recognised by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, which awards 30 Continued Professional Development points to attendees.

Mark Hannaford, founder of World Extreme Medicine, said, “This course gives attendees the chance to test themselves in a real-life extreme environment, possibly for the first time in their careers.

“Every extreme medic starts somewhere, and we may just find that the week in Norway ignites the expeditionary spark in some of the attendees.

“From there, they can go anywhere. They could provide medical support for scientists working in Antarctica, or with more training go on to work in other exciting areas such as deserts, high mountains or in conflict zones.”

The next instalment of the World Extreme Medicine Polar Medicine course takes place in New Zealand 22nd – 27th July in New Zealand.

Meet WEMski speaker Prof. Chris Imray – Vascular Surgeon and world-renowned expert on frostbite and cold injuries

10th January 2018WEM Marketing DeptWEMSkiNo CommentsAltitude Medicine, AMS, frostbite, Mount Everest, mountain medicine, mountain medicine in nepal, Nepal, Prof. Chris Imray, WEMski

Chris is a Consultant Vascular and Renal Transplant Surgeon at UHCW NHS Trust and a Professor at Warwick Medical School, Coventry University and Exeter University and a member of the WEMSki Faculty. He has a Diploma in Mountain Medicine and is a world-renowned expert on frostbite and cold injuries; as well as having medical interests in extreme altitude physiology and the brain at high altitude. Chris is the perfect medic to bring to WEMski, as he’ll be sharing his own personal experiences of climbing (including a summit of Everest) in addition to imparting his vast knowledge of high altitude medicine and cold injuries including how best to treat them.

Chris started climbing whilst at school, and has continued to travel all over the world to indulge this passion; climbing as far afield as the sea cliffs of Cornwall to the volcanoes of Chile. He began working with the Birmingham Medical Research Expeditionary Society in the late 1980s, which is where his interest in altitude research became a passion. Chris now continues his research with the Caudwell Xtreme Everest Research Group and more recently has become involved with the UCL team at The Centre for Altitude Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE).

Having been one of the medical officers taking part in the 2006 Xtreme Cho Oyu expedition to Tibet, Chris went on to be the Deputy Climbing Leader of the 2007 Caudwell Xtreme Everest Expedition. He summited both Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world (8201m) and Everest (8848m), and has the dubious distinction of having the second lowest arterial gases ever recorded in an adult (at 8400m)! This was the first ever measurement of the level of oxygen in human blood at 8400m, on the balcony of Everest and was the centrepiece of an extensive and continuing programme of research into hypoxia (low oxygen levels) and human performance at extreme altitude.

Chris has published over 130 peer review papers on various subjects including altitude medicine, cold injury, vascular surgery and renal transplantation, and remains an active mountaineer and altitude researcher. Chris is also a trustee of the Society of Extreme, Expedition & Wilderness Medicine (SEEWM) and a regular speaker at the World Extreme Medicine Conference.

We are delighted to welcome Chris to our WEMski faculty and to give you a little taste of what Chris will be talking about at WEMski, we asked him these three questions…

Q. What skills would you say are vital in an extreme and challenging environment?

A. Preparation for any challenge is crucial, especially when facing such extreme and potentially life-threatening conditions. It’s important to familiarise yourself with the environment beforehand and understand and prepare for the potential hazards and situations you could find yourself in. On a personal skill level, the ability to think outside the box will serve you well and having a good sense of humour will help you and your team mentally survive.

Q. What first interested you in practising extreme medicine and taking on such extreme physical and psychological challenges?

A. Exposure to the mountains of North Wales when I was 15 years old kick-started my interest in climbing and I’ve never looked back since. It was so thrilling for a young schoolboy like myself. I can remember the excitement and even the smell of heather from my first climb on the Milestone Buttress on Tryfan. I just love being in the mountains and now I get to travel to remote and exciting places with like-minded people.

Q. What has been your scariest ‘extreme’ challenge/situation and why?

A. I try not to get too scared – I don’t like it! Climbing Mt Everest as part of the Caudwell Xtreme Everest Expedition, where we were confronted with temperatures down to -40°C, high winds, and critically low oxygen levels was pretty frightening. Frostbite, exhaustion, hypothermia and high-altitude illness (mountain sickness) were ever-present as well as other potentially fatal risks. We were also involved in a high-profile rescue of a Nepalese climber, which reminded us just how dangerous our challenge was. The aim of the expedition was to investigate the adaptation of the human body as it acclimatises to extreme altitude, using the shortage of oxygen as a model for patients in intensive care units. Arterial blood gases at 8400m sounds scary, but we had prepared for that moment over two years, so in fact, it was no more challenging than we had expected.

To find out more information on WEMski or to book your place on what we promise will be an incredibly fun, diverse and inspiring week click here.

NEW: Alpine Medicine; an exciting 6-day mountain medicine training course…

4th January 2018WEM Marketing Deptmountain medicineNo CommentsAlpine medicine, extreme medicine, Julian Alps, mountain medicine, slovenia

Our epic Slovenia Alpine Medicine course takes place in the stunning Julian Alps and is designed to open the world of expedition medicine to doctors, nurses, paramedics and other medical professionals wanting to add adventure to their career.

The Extreme Medicine CMD/ CPD* accredited course will combine winter mountaineering skills, advanced expedition medicine training, plus altitude and cold weather medicine – everything you need to know to take on or lead an alpine expedition.

Location: Julian Alps, Slovenia
Dates: 18th – 23rd February 2018
Cost: £1,295
Difficulty level: Specialised

4 excellent reasons to attend Slovenia Alpine Medicine 2018
Exclusive 1:1 mentoring: Unlike any other training course, you’ll receive structured one to one mentoring from our faculty team; enabling you to ask questions and personalise the experience to your own special areas of interest.

Expert teaching: You’ll spend 3 days in the mountains, where you will gain hands-on extreme medicine experience from our world-class IMFGA (International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations) guides and our professional WEM faculty team. You will experience a one-day avalanche workshop at Vogel ski area followed by a two-day mini expedition overnighting at Komna hut.

Fully integrated content: All course content is incorporated to replicate the real-life challenges you might face on an actual mountain expedition. This helps shape your understanding of the field and will enable you to function should you find yourself in an extreme or challenging mountainside situation. For example, on Day 5 of the course, you will be involved in a simulated search and rescue scenario which will enable you to put into practice all the knowledge and skills you have learnt over the past 5 days.

Networking: Our courses are the perfect way to converse with like-mind counterparts and colleagues from around the world, as well as meeting and learning from the world’s best extreme mountain medicine experts. …
Be one of the first to experience our Alpine Medicine course and take your extreme medicine career to the next level. Book your place today!

#BeExtreme

*Course accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh)

Meet WEMski speaker Jason Fox – Former Royal Marine Commando, SBS Sergeant Team Leader and Special Forces Instructor on ‘SAS Who Dares Wins’.

3rd January 2018WEM Marketing DeptWEMSkiNo CommentsChannel 4 Who Dares Wins, Extreme Survival, jason foxy fox, Royal Marine Commandos, sas, special forces, Tactical Expertise, WEMski, wemski speaker

Jason Fox, otherwise known as ‘Foxy’, is a former Royal Marine Commando and Special Forces Sergeant who has led and executed large-scale global operations including hostage rescue, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics missions as well as being a professional bodyguard, to name but a few! The skills and experience gained from his time in the military, plus the extreme challenges he now takes on as part of ‘Team Essence’ means he is the perfect guest speaker at our WEMski mini-conference.

Having joined the military at 16 years of age, Jason served with the Royal Marine Commandos and ten years later, after a gruelling 6-month selection process joined the Special Forces. He served with the Special Boat Service as a demolition and counter-terrorism expert, Special Forces dog handler, jungle survival expert and combat swimmer and due to his exceptional leadership skills reached the rank of Sergeant. It was during Jason’s 20-year career in the military that he learnt to focus on the end goal, have a tenacious attitude and to keep himself both physically and mentally fit, which allowed him to stay at the top of his game.

Upon leaving the Special Forces in 2012, Jason experienced working within the corporate sector and security industry where he combined his expertise from the Special Forces with his experience in a business setting. It was in 2015 that Jason stepped into the world of TV and film, assisting production crews who were working in hostile environments such as jungles, deserts and the Arctic. He is now involved in Channel 4’s series ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’ as a Special Forces instructor, giving us a small taste of action and adventure around the world.

As a leader, motivator and all round inspirational figure we can’t wait to have Jason Fox join us at WEMski. As well as discussing how he coped under pressure in some of the most challenging situations, Jason will explain how having a strong positive mental attitude helped him overcome dangerous encounters and achieve personal goals.

We are thrilled to welcome Jason to our WEMski faculty and to give you a little taste of what Jason will be talking about at WEMski, we asked him these three questions…

Q. What skills would you say are vital in an extreme and challenging environment?

A. For me, I would say it’s imperative to have a plan in place as this will give you a structure to follow as well as acting as a guide throughout your challenge. But, it’s important to remain flexible and be adaptable to your situation and the changing circumstances when required and to keep a positive attitude throughout. Due to the extreme conditions and challenging situations you’ll find yourself in, mental robustness is key in any challenging environment.

Q. What first interested you in taking on extreme physical and psychological challenges?

A. Having joined the military at a young age (I was 16 years old), I’ve always wanted to push and challenge myself both physically and mentally. Having been wired like this from an early age, it’s now something I continually need to do.

Q. What has been your scariest ‘extreme’ challenge / situation and why?

A. I spent 20 years in the military and a decade of that in the Special Forces, I’ve experienced a lot of scary moments as you can imagine. It was while rowing unsupported across the Atlantic in March 2016 as part of a 5-man world record-breaking challenge team that I experienced some of the most frightening times. During the challenge, we were battered by strong winds and 20ft waves and ended up capsizing 3 times which was both scary and extremely dangerous, especially with a shark stalking us!

To find out more information on WEMski or to book your place and hear more incredibly inspiring stories from Jason and the other WEM Faculty and guest speakers please click here.

Advances in medicine on the back of a whale

29th December 2017WEM Marketing Deptdiving and marine medicine, mark hannaford, ResearchNo Commentsmark hannaford, medical research, natural history museum, NIke, Prof. Craig Franklin, SEB

London’s prestigious Natural History Museum was host recently to a jointly sponsored meeting between the NHM, World Extreme Medicine & the Society for Experimental Biology, which brought together experts from the world of medicine and animal physiology.

The aim of the meeting, the brainchild of WEM’s founder Mark Hannaford and Prof. Craig Franklin the Deputy Head of the School of Biological Sciences and the Executive Director of Research Ethics at the University of Queensland, was to build intellectual bridges to share research, best practice and techniques between the worlds of human and animal medicine.

Ben Cattaneo, of the podcast ‘Allthingsrisk’, kindly agreed to join us to record some of the remarkable conversations and produce a special podcast featuring the speakers;

Mark Hannaford and World Extreme Medicine is featured in a Special Episode on Allthingsrisk

Meet WEMski speaker Ben Cooper – WEM faculty, Charge Nurse ED and medic for Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions

22nd December 2017WEM Marketing DeptWEMSkiNo Commentsextreme medicine, Remote medicine, skiing, WEMski

Ben’s career path began in Whitley Bay, where as a young schoolboy he was inspired to work in challenging situations by his uncle’s exploits as a Royal Air Force search and rescue pilot. This fascination with the ‘extreme’ inevitably led him into a career that now involves 3 of his favourite things – medicine, travel and adventure.

As a teenager, Ben and his friend had a climbing accident in the Lake District and were brought to safety by Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue team. It was this incident 15 years ago that started his pre-hospital care career and his love for mountain rescue. As an aspiring mountaineer he joined Northumberland National Park Search and Rescue Team and when he moved to Sheffield in 1994 to start a diploma in nursing studies, Ben joined Edale Mountain Rescue Team: one of Britain’s busiest based in the nearby Peak District National Park.

It was long-term friend and mountain rescue colleague Martin Roberts that first introduced the idea of becoming a location medic to Ben. Taking unpaid leave from the hospital, Ben took part in his first expedition to the Arctic, providing safety and medical support for a documentary being produced by Channel 4. Following the success of this Arctic expedition more job offers followed, and in 2001 he started working with consultancy company Poles Apart as a location medic. Enjoying his new-found love of practising medicine in extreme situations, Ben negotiated a contract with his hospital trust that allowed him to take 2-weeks unpaid leave each year to take on short-term projects for expedition organiser Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE).

Ben spent five seasons in the Antarctic at ALE’s field camp, Patriot Hills (home to one of the world’s most remote field hospitals) providing medical, rescue and emergency logistical support to expeditions. From there he has helped to provide medical and rescue cover to expeditions skiing to the South Pole, climbing Mount Vinson, running the Antarctic Marathon and 100km race as well as escorting clients on flights to the South Pole.

Ben now combines his work as an A&E Department Charge Nurse and an Emergency Nurse Practitioner at Northern General Hospital, Sheffield with film and expedition safety work in the Arctic and Antarctic as well as becoming a valued team member of the World Extreme Medicine faculty.

We are delighted to welcome Ben to our WEMski faculty and to give you a little taste of what Ben will be talking about at WEMski, we asked him these three questions…

Q. What skills would you say are vital in an extreme and challenging environment?

A. As a Nurse (medic) in an extreme environment the ability to improvise is essential, you never know what will happen next. Thinking on your feet and being able to adapt to your situation will stand you in good stead as well as having a good sense of humour!

Q. What first interested you in practising extreme medicine?

A. I was introduced to the great outdoors from a very early age by my parents first and then by joining the Scouts. I also had an uncle who was a Search and Rescue pilot so whilst growing up the outdoors became a big part of my life. I joined the Northumberland National Park Search and Rescue team to complete my Duke of Edinburgh award and Queen Scouts award, which kicked started my interest in mountain rescue. Upon relocating to Sheffield to complete my nurse’s training I joined Edale mountain rescue team where I came across a doctor called Martin Rhodes. We both worked for a company called Poles Apart, which specialised in TV/film location work in extreme environments. One thing lead to another and I then became the first UK Nurse (I think) to work in the interior of Antarctica. I then started working with Sean Hudson (World Extreme Medicine co-founder) which then linked me into working with World Extreme Medicine (WEM) and becoming part of the WEM faculty team.

Q. What has been your scariest ‘extreme’ situation and why?

A. My scariest situation was during a rescue in 2005 for a fallen climber in Antarctica. We had deteriorating weather and high winds, plus extreme cold (it was -45 degrees) and limited communication making the rescue attempt very challenging. We were descending in a Twin Otter, being buffeted around this small plane across a crevasse field whilst trying to avoid avalanche debris and this was on the ski way, we hadn’t even made it into the sky at this point!

To find out more information on WEMski or to book your place on what we promise will be an incredibly fun, diverse and inspiring week, please click here.

Meet WEMski speaker David Pearce – outdoor survival expert

21st December 2017WEM Marketing DeptWEMSkiNo CommentsDavid Pearce, outdoor survival expert, WEMski, wemski speaker

Former Royal Marine Commando, Everest summiteer, expeditioner and general all-round outdoor survival expert David Pearce has travelled the globe over the years visiting some of the most inhospitable environments on earth. His incredible survival skills are based on ‘having been there and done it’, which makes him an ideal candidate to speak at WEMski about his own real-life experiences including working with Bear Grylls, Bruce Parry and President Obama.

Bear Grylls talking about filming with President Obama on the Jonathan Ross Show “It was amazing and it was a phone call I never thought we’d get when The White House rang up and said, ‘He’s a fan of the show, would you ever take him to Alaska or on an adventure?’ Grylls & Pearce also provided insight into the trekking expedition with President Obama. He said, “We had like 60 Secret Service, snipers in the mountains, I’m not joking we had the whole four helicopters in the air, it was a crazy whole machine to watch.”

David spent 25 years as a British Commando, seeing operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo/ Bosnia and Afghanistan, and becoming a renowned expert in mountain and arctic warfare as well as specialising in other areas of the Royal Marine Commandos. He has organised and led several mountaineering expeditions around the world with his greatest achievement being part of the successful Joint Services Expedition team that scaled one of the largest rock faces in the world and made the first British ascent of Kangchenjunga from the north-east ridge (3rd highest in the world), without supplementary oxygen.

It was during this expedition in May 2003 to Kangchenjunga that David became part of what is thought to be the highest ever mountain rescue in the world. Within minutes of reaching the summit, both David and his Sherpa, Chring Dorje had to begin their descent to help two climbers from another expedition who became stuck due to injuries and prevailing weather conditions. David subsequently received a military commendation and the BBC’s Outstanding Overseas Achievement Award for his part in this major rescue operation.

Upon leaving the army he set up his own business, Peak Aspirations, which offers a variety of services from tailor making outdoor adventures to event speaking around the world, using his Everest experience to inspire people to reach their full potential, whatever that may be. David has also worked on various TV programmes using his experience and skills to provide health and safety advice and act as a safety guide during specific adventures and expeditions.

We are thrilled to welcome David to our WEMski faculty and to give you a little taste of what David will be talking about at WEMski, we asked him these three questions…

Q. What skills would you say are vital in an extreme and challenging environment?

A. To deal with complexity and volatility and have a ‘plan B’ just in case. You also need to leave your ego behind, teamwork is imperative in what can sometimes be a life-threatening situation.

Q. What first interested you in taking on extreme physical and psychological challenges?

A. It began some 35-years ago when my art teacher at school took us to a North Devon beach, where we sea paddled and surfed our kayaks. We had never done anything like this before and neither had the teacher. At the time it was so scary, but I loved every minute of it; mainly because we were all sharing the experience and learning in the mess! That was the catalyst for me and led me to push my mind and body to the limit.

Q. What has been your scariest ‘extreme’ challenge / situation and why?

A. Wow…there have been a few! Unbelievably, fewer incidents on military operations, but I guess my buddy and I being stuck at around 8000m on Kangchenjunga, for a few days in a tent, getting buried by massive snowfall. It was an extreme situation as we had no cooker, no oxygen, a failing tent and on top of that, there was a massive avalanche threat. Our fixed ropes were totally buried when we eventually emerged from our broken tent (which is still there today!) and we made the very un-nerving descent to base camp with hardly any fixed line to use as safety. It was at this moment I realised how vulnerable we are as people.

N.B. The Kangchenjunga is the second least climbed peak of the 14 peaks over 8,000 meters (26,247 feet). In fact, the Annapurna is the only 8,000 meters peak which has been less climbed than the Kangchenjunga.

Kangchenjunga does not have an “easy” route as the threat of avalanche is high. Since it is in the eastern Himalaya it receives the brunt of the monsoon moisture.

To find out more information on WEMski or to book your place and hear more incredibly inspiring stories from David and the other WEM Faculty and guest speakers please click here.

Meet WEMski speaker Cathy O’Dowd – climber and mountaineer extraordinaire

18th December 2017WEM Marketing DeptWEMSkiNo CommentsCathy O'dowd, mountaineer, WEMski, wemski speaker

Cathy O’Dowd is a remarkable climber and mountaineer with many achievements to her name; one of the most significant being the fact that she is the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, from both its north and south sides. She will be bringing to WEMski a wealth of knowledge and real-life experience that will help you further understand the extreme physical and psychological challenges faced when participating in an extreme challenge. Cathy will also be discussing how important team dynamics were to her expeditions and how she found having the right leadership and team behind you is a huge benefit in high-stress situations.

Growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, Cathy started climbing when she left school and her love and passion for adventure kept growing. While completing her Master’s degree in Media Studies at Rhodes University and working as a university lecturer she saw a newspaper advert for a place on the first South African Everest Expedition and decided to apply. Six months later she achieved her goal and became the first South African to summit Everest. Three years later Cathy became the first woman in the world to climb the mountain from both sides, an amazing feat of courage, strength and endurance.

Today, Cathy remains an active adventurer and was part of the team that made the first ascent of Nanga Parbat via the Mazeno Ridge and her most recent expedition was a ski-mountaineering ascent of Mount Logan, the second highest peak in North America. It’s through taking on and completing these remarkable challenges, plus her time spent on Everest that has enabled her to discover insights about herself and the teams she has travelled with.

We are thrilled to welcome Cathy to our WEMski faculty and to give you a little taste of what Cathy will be talking about at WEMski, we asked her these three questions…

Q. What skills would you say are vital in an extreme and challenging environment?

A. The ability to keep calm and think laterally in search of solutions when in an extreme situation, even if you are feeling bitterly cold, tired and stressed is vital and potentially life-saving.

Q. What first interested you in taking on extreme physical and psychological challenges?

A. It crept up on me very, very slowly. I started out rock climbing in sunny South Africa and ended up climbing 8,000-metre peaks. I suspect curiosity is the main culprit – what would it be like to try that thing? Will I be able to rise to the challenge?

Q. What has been your scariest ‘extreme’ challenge and why?

A. Probably the Mazeno Ridge of Nanga Parbat because we were so far beyond any kind of help, with no easy or quick exits available, and we were unable to carry much in the way of medical back-up.

N.B. To give you some background information on just how difficult and extreme this encounter was, the Mazeno Ridge of Nanga Parbat is one of the last great climbing challenges of the high Himalaya: ten kilometres long, lying at 7000 metres with 8 subsidiary summits, the longest unclimbed ridge of any 8,000-metre peak. International climbing teams had tried 10 times over three decades to accomplish this expedition and all had failed

To find out more information on WEMski or to book your place on what we promise will be an incredibly fun, diverse and inspiring week, please click here.

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