The Next Great Adventure

4 Volcanoes in Ecuador –5 Nurses in the UK

Simon St Clair Carter and Martin J Wikstrom
Climbing Guagua Pichincha, Illiniza Norte, Cotopaxi, & Chimborazo

What do 2 mates accompanying their successful wives to a meeting of powerful women do to keep out of trouble (read: out of the way)? Get lost, obviously! When Simon posed the question, "Do we really want to go to a conference full of women when we could be doing something much more fun like climbing a volcano?" I didn't have to ponder very long. "Of course, we climb!"

Simon pointed out that we were traveling quite a distance for just 1 volcano and asked if perhaps we should climb 4?

Overly influenced by testosterone (as opposed to common sense), I quickly agreed. Only later did I investigate what exactly my friend was proposing. These are some seriously high peaks! However, it was too late to change my mind and engage the gray matter betwixt the ears. I had agreed and the trip was on!

Then Simon (being the more clever of the two) suggested that we should do this for some worthy cause. We couldn't think of a better bunch than the folks at Marie Curie. These wonderful souls provide essential end-of-life care for terminally-ill patients and their families. Most all of us are of an age where we, or ones close to us, have lost a loved one and hospice care was an invaluable support when most needed.

Research commissioned by Marie Curie Cancer Care shows that 64 per cent of people would choose to die at home. In reality only 25 per cent achieve this.

Every year, Marie Curie Nurses make that wish possible for thousands of cancer patients in cities, towns and villages across the UK.

Marie Curie Nurses now care for around 50 per cent of all cancer patients who die at home. They work through the night or during the day to provide care for patients in the comfortable and familiar surroundings of their own home.

Their nurses are also there for families and carers - providing practical and emotional support at what can be an exhausting time. Whilst Marie Curie nursing is always free of charge to patients and carers, it is not free.

Simon and I hope to raise the necessary money to fund 5 nurses for a year. For every £19,000 we raise, the N.H.S. will match it with an additional £19,100 which places a nurse in the field for 1 year. We hope you will help us reach our goal. You can give as much or as little as you like but please help! You can find our fund raising site on the web at:

http://www.justgiving.com/Martin-Wikstrom-and-Simon-St-Clair-Carter-4-Volcanoes-5-Nurses



There you can track our progress and leave messages of encouragement. Feel free to leave messages here as well.


In a following post, I will provide a description of the mountains we hope to climb.

Thank you,

Martin Wikstrom and Simon St Clair Carter