Supporting Epilepsy Action Blog

Wednesday 31st March 2010 – 16:00 – Resolute, Cornwallis Island

After typically relaxed security for flights heading North from here – I carry a 2 litre bottle of water onto the plane and not an x-ray machine in sight - we’re on a flight to Resolute!  First Air put on special plane to get us up there with brief refuelling stop in Igloolik.  Nucky and I stood at Iqaluit faces pressed up against glass straining to count the number of bags and sledges going onto the tiny plane they put on for us, but as we board the bus they tell us all luggage has made it on – relief!  All in high spirits and thoughts now turning to the Expedition, as we gaze out the window down to Baffin Island and the vast expanse of sea ice (with lots of open water leads I note) and fly 600 NW to Cornwallis Island.  It’s a vast white wilderness of ice, snow and sastrugi – ridges formed by wind and snow deposit – but its impossible from the plane to know whether it’s inches or feet in height.  Some of the water leads are so big it’s almost like open sea with ice islands floating around freely, and I console myself we’re still heading north.  I can tell the team are turning their attention to the task ahead and the reality of what we’re doing, as the confident banter turns to nervous jokes and laughter.  Tracy shows me a quote from her log book “On heading to the Pole choose your companions carefully – you may have to eat them”!

After a refuelling stop in Igloolik we move time zones as we head further west, and I note the sea ice is thickening up – leads closing and increasingly an unbroken blanket of white with grey blotches stretching to the horizon.

Resolute – “not the end of the world, but you can see it from here” - is a tiny community of 200, originally an Air Force base from the cold war used also as part of the Inuit resettlement program (with disastrous consequences), which has since established itself as the staging area for virtually all attempts at the Geographic, Magnetic and Geo-Magnetic North Poles.  On arrival at South Camp Inn  the first thing I note walking into our Expedition room is the computer in the corner – is there nowhere on this planet you can’t get internet access?!  It’s slow and clunky to say the least, but we’re all heartened by all the positive comments on the Facebook Expedition page and we manage to upload a picture of the team.  I’m heartened to see the messages posted by Laura and the rest of the team’s loved ones – it’s nice to think she has an understanding group of people to “talk to”, albeit online.

Unfortunately one of our bags didn’t make the flight – it transpires they accidentally sent it to Ottawa and now we’ll have to wait for it to be sent back to Iqaluit and onwards to Resolute, which fills us with dread thinking about the challenge that is generally.  But as the Inuits say so often “can’t be helped”.

Monday 29th – Tuesday 30th March 2010 – Iqaluit, Nunavut

Left Ottawa 6am ok to transfer up to Iqaluit (capital of the Nunavut semi-autonomous region largely governed by the native Inuits) and onto Resolute, Cornwallis Island.  Problems begin at Iqaluit airport – First Air 14.30 flight cancelled due to 80kmh winds, so we’re checked into Frobisher Inn until we can get out.  Hopefully given size of our team they’ll put on extra plane for us, as spare seats on subsequent flights are few and far between, next flight not until Wednesday.  We discover some of our bags stink of beer – appears some bottles must have broken in cargo and leaked over our kit.  Fortunately our bags have kept most of the beer out of the contents.  We check in 4 to a room to keep costs down – everything in this part of the world is very expensive.  I’m with Mark, Steve Ryan and Rob, so the humour comes thick and fast, but it doesn’t negate the fact we’re stuck in Iqaluit indefinitely.  We know we’re definitely not going anywhere Tuesday, so relax Monday evening in the Frobisher bar releasing a mix of frustration at being stuck here, relief we’re finally on our way and nerves at the task ahead.

On Tuesday we use the time to practice putting tents up and down in the cold outside the hotel, then take a wander around town.  I meet Jeffrey – son of Aziz who runs the South Camp Inn where we’ll stay in Resolute.  Jeffrey works for the Child Protection Centre and he gives me some background to the area.  Iqaluit has a population of 8,000 (around 2,500 of whom are under 16) with 40% unemployment and a lot of social problems mainly the result of alcohol.  I ask him why alcohol – like most other communities in Nunavut – is not restricted here.  He replies with a resigned shrug “free country”.  Rent is typically C$60 per month in Iqaluit.  Everything in the few shops is very expensive, apart from fruit which is subsidised by the Nunavut regional government, so I stock up and head back to the hotel to sew a few more battery pockets into my inner thermals.  Annoyingly we can’t sort through our Expedition kit since all the sledges have been carefully weighed for the flights.  Internet is intermittent from the one hotel terminal, but I manage a call out to Laura, which gives us a welcome chat as we’d only managed a brief call before I flew from Ottawa, thinking that would be our last conversation until May.

Sunday 28th March 2010 – Heathrow to Ottawa

Full team and kit made it from an early start at Heathrow to Ottawa, checking into the Lord Elgin Hotel for one night before our onward travel.  In the elevator of the hotel I note a familiar face who clocks my team fleece and asks if we’re heading north.  Transpires it’s Ben Saunders – supposedly setting a solo and unsupported speed record to the Geographic North Pole.  On day three a fuel canister split and contaminated 70% of his food with Colmans Fuel, and his expedition was over before it really started.  It’s a timely reminder to us of the risks.

One day to go…

If you type “epilepsy help” into Google, the first (unsponsored) result is for www.epilepsy.org.uk – Epilepsy Action’s website.

On the right hand side in a prominent box, there are details of it’s freephone helpline, an international helpline, email address, text message and live online help service.

As well as providing immediate support, they have comprehensive information for all types of epileptics and their carers including parents and children, through teenagers and employees (and employers) to adults with epilepsy considering starting a family.  They lobby government for better treatment and awareness, run campaigns and local support groups across the UK, host regional conferences, pioneered the specialist epilepsy Sapphire nurse scheme, provide insurance for those with epilepsy who find it hard to get insurance elsewhere and provide training for schools, businesses and families.

There are estimated to be around half a million people with epilepsy in the UK right now.

Their award winning website alone receives over 100,000 visitors every month.

Epilepsy is not like most other disabilities.  You can’t see it, you can’t predict it.  It’s the second most common neurological condition after the migraine and yet it’s possibly the most misunderstood (and hence discriminated-against) disability in our country.  It’s completely indiscriminate and while some “triggers” are well documented, its causes remain largely unknown.  Like many disabilities its effects go beyond the epileptic to their nearest and dearest, in some cases becoming part or even full-time carers.

There are obvious limitations to what an epileptic can do – drive a car, serve in the military etc – but the number of things they cannot do are dwarfed by the number of things they still can do.  Despite this, the fact that many epileptics become seizure free after a few years - and of course the Disability Discrimination Act - epileptics are too often denied their basic rights to live and work without prejudice or exclusion.  The unpredictability of having a seizure (keeping in mind the bulk of epileptics have medication which controls tonic clonic seizures - aka “fits”) combined with a lack of understanding leads to the exclusion of many, perfectly capable of being productive workers and not least normal, social human beings.

From the fundraising events I’ve done and talks I’ve given to Epilepsy Support Groups, I’ve met a wide range of these people – some who have lost not only jobs, but also families and friends from having epilepsy.  Mental illness, including depression, is a common by-product for people affected not just by the condition, but the lifestyle effects largely imposed by those around them.  In the worst example one man I met – born and bred in London but descended from African origins – lost his job, his home, and was left by his wife and his son, because some of their friends and family believed that to have epilepsy, was to be possessed by the devil.

Tomorrow morning our team of 11 meet at Heathrow to begin our journey to Resolute on Cornwallis Island, high in the Canadian Arctic, to begin an Expedition to walk unsupported to the Magnetic North Pole.  It’s 360 nautical miles, or 414 statute miles; 667 km; 450,000 paces.  That’s not even 1 pace for every epileptic in the UK, but given our inevitable meander around the islands, ice flows and rubble we’ll have to navigate, I hope to leave a footprint in the snow for every person in the UK who has this condition.

Epilepsy, like the Arctic weather is unpredictable, harsh, indiscriminate and can make life miserable.  But in the Spring as the ice starts to melt away our footprints, we’ll be heading home while the lives of people with epilepsy goes on.

But with the help and support of the hundreds of you that have sponsored and supported me, combined with the thousands of people fundraising in charity runs and events all over the UK, and around the world every year – many arranged by Epilepsy Action – and with the solid support network this indispensible charity provides to sufferers and their friends and family, we all help to provide not just support and guidance, but promote tolerance, understanding and respect to those for whom epilepsy should remain a word, not a life sentence.

To my friends, my sister and the parents, brother and sister who care for and love her, to Laura and to all of you who have sponsored and supported me, thank you – I’ll see you in May.

Tomorrow, north.

www.justgiving.co.uk/stevegoespolar2010

Two days to go...

First of all a huge thank you to all who came to my leaving party last night in Fulham, especially given the weather.  It was great to see so many of you there, and was a fantastic send off.  It's been pretty stressful getting everything wrapped up before going away these last few weeks, so was a much needed stress relief as well!

Thank you to Laura for organising such a great party, and I hope everyone got home ok.

Also a thank you to everyone who couldn't make it but called with their best wishes.  It means a lot to have so many people thinking of us and wishing us a safe and successful Expedition.

So now there's only 2 days left before boarding our first flight to Ottawa, then one night there before flying to Iqaluit - the capital of Baffin Island where we did our 2008 Expedition - and immediately onto Resolute where we'll have a few days (and nights) of final preparation and training, before setting off.

I'm arranging for email updates to go out weekly to all who have requested them, and those who requested to be kept up to date when they sponsored me.  If you would like to receive a weekly update, send an email to info@homemadeproperties.co.uk.

Remember to bookmark the Expedition Website, where you can follow our progress on a map, follow the team blog and sign up with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Will send a final message tomorrow.

All the best.

Three days to go…

Three days until we fly from Heathrow, and I'd like to point you all towards our Expedition Website, which will be tracking our progress as we walk from Resolute on Cornwallis Island, to the 1996 Surveyed position of the Magnetic North Pole.

There are also links on the site to follow our progress on Facebook, Twitter and a Blog.  We'll be sending our position back to the UK by Sat Phone, and although not daily, should be a few times a week.  There's a map on the site where you can already see our projected route, which will be updated with our actual position after we set off.  Depending on sea ice states we may well meander around a bit on the way North.  Please bookmark this page to check back over the coming weeks.

A big thank you to Epilepsy Action, who have been promoting our Expedition to their Facebook and Twitter groups, and putting out Press Releases in advance of our departure.  My sponsorship is stubbornly just short of £6,000, so please help me to push me nearer my target!

I look forward to seeing some of you at my leaving party this evening.  If you'd like to come along please head to The Cabin on Dawes Road in Fulham, London SW6, from 6.30pm onwards.  Nearest tube station is Fulham Broadway.  I'll be the fat boy in the corner stuffing pies down his throat!

Four days to go...

With our departure now just days away I've been doing some last minute preparation.  Key to leaving with a clear head of course is to make sure everything (and everyone) who may need my input for the 5 or so weeks I'll be out of contact, know what to do in my absence.  In property this means making sure that all accounts are up to date, all managing agents have sufficient floats to pay for any repairs needed and delegating a suitable colleague to take any big urgent decisions in my absence.  It's always nice not to come back to a fire that needs putting out!

We have a few projects in hand including a big refurbishment about to start, so it's important to know they'll move forward in my absence, with payments in place and someone to oversee progress.

On the Expedition front, I've been buying some last minute items, including a small adapter to charge my camera off a solar charger and a new waterproof notebook for keeping a log (thank you Andy at Born Survivor Supplies for the quick delivery!).

I've also been reminding myself the important points of First Aid applicable to those heading into a cold climate.  Our Expedition Leader Richard Bull has had this You Tube video made by his doctor for us all to familiarise ourselves with - it's about 10 minutes long and some of you may find interesting, but probably best not to watch just after eating!

Click Here for You Tube clip

I've now raised 82% of my target - nearly £6,000.  Thank you all who have sponsored me!  I'll be printing out a full list of all my sponsors and your motivational comments to read while on the ice when the going gets tough!

Resolute - Cornwallis Island

On Sunday morning we board a flight from Heathrow to Ottawa, on our first leg up to Resolute on Cornwallis Island, where we'll do our final preparation before starting our Unsupported Expedition to the Magnetic North Pole.

Resolute - with a population of around 200 - takes its name from HMS Resolute - one of the vessels that searched for the lost British Expedition of Sir John Franklin in the 1850's.  Abandoned by the crew and considered unseaworthy from its mauling by the ice flows, it subsequently broke free and was found drifiting by a Whaler who delivered it to the American government (for a fee).  As a gesture of goodwill it was refurbished by the Americans and delivered back to Queen Victoria.  Needless to say the crew who abandoned her were called to account!

In 1880 when the ship was decommissioned and broken up, a desk was made from its timbers and delivered to American President Rutherford B Hayes as a gesture of thanks for the ship's return.  This desk remains to this day in the Oval office.  Resolute by name, Resolute by nature.

Temperatures in Resolute - at 74 degrees 43 North - average roughly between -25 to -30C at the start of April, rising to -15 to -20 by the end of April.

Windchill also has an added effect to these temperatures however.  Windchill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin.  As the wind speed increases, more heat is drawn from exposed areas and the skin temperature drops further.  At -15C, a 10mph wind has a "real feel" of -26C.  At -30C a 20mph wind has a "real feel" of -57C!

The cold air cannot generally hold much moisture at this level, hence in terms of precipitation - like much of the Arctic - it's almost defined as a desert.  The only periods with any precipitation of note is around July, August & September, when it averages up to 20-35mm max over a month.

Daylight in this part of the Arctic circle - which has 24 hour darkness from early November through to the end of January - will last from 4am to 7pm at the beginning of April, rising to virtually 24 hour daylight by the end of the month.  24 hour daylight will then last until early August.

The name of Resolute in Inuktitut (the Inuit language) is "Qausuittuq" meaning "The place with no dawn".

Final Preparations

A busy last few weeks, and in no particular order a few updates.

I did an illustrated talk at the Kings College Epilepsy Action Support Group on Monday evening – always a pleasure to be invited along to these groups to chat about past and upcoming fundraising events, particularly the Baffin Island 2008 Expedition, and imminent North Pole Expedition.

My talk was well received and the members made a very kind donation to my fundraising.  It’s humbling to be praised for my efforts by people who face far greater challenges in their everyday lives, some of whom had travelled from outside London to be there.  Thank you for your support and hospitality.

This week I also passed a milestone in my fundraising – I’ve now raised over £5,800 which is more than I did for Baffin Island 2008!  This is great news and a big thank you to everyone for their support.  Once again, as I’m paying for the full cost of my place on the Expedition, every penny goes direct to Epilepsy Action, and is already being put to good use.

On Thursday 25th March Laura has very kindly arranged a leaving party for me, at The Cabin on Dawes Road (London SW6), from 7pm.  Everyone is welcome and please email Laura (lollie_j@hotmail.com) if you’d like to come along.

At the request of those still wondering where the Magnetic North Pole is, you can see below two pictures – one of North America showing the general area we’re heading to, the second a closer look at the proposed route we’ll take.  From Resolute on Cornwallis Island – the northernmost permanently habited point in the Western Hemisphere – we’ll walk out south onto the sea ice, turn to the west and then head north westerly, to the right of Bathurst Island and onwards to the 1996 Magnetic North Pole.

With less than 2 weeks left before we go, I’m scaling back my training, and will be spending a lot of time getting my work wrapped up, sorting my personal kit and pestering anyone who hasn’t sponsored me!  On a serious note though, charity is a very personal thing and I respect anyone’s decision over which charities they choose to give money to.  I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who has supported me not just with sponsorship, but with their time and kind – often inspiring - words.

Tyre Training – Richmond Park

This Saturday I went to Richmond Park via the local tyre garage, to do the obligatory tyre-pulling synonymous with aspiring Arctic Explorers!  With all our kit now packed up to go, the harnesses are all in store with the sledges, so the previous training we’ve done on the sand dunes of South Wales with the actual kit can’t be done.

Instead I used a rucksack, rope and bungees to attach a tyre but the drag wasn’t much good, so then strapped a log to it for added weight.  Needless to say I had a few weird looks and a few people came up to chat – always useful to carry a supply of business cards with the blog website address on, just in case!  A young boy asked for a lift which I duly gave – only occurred after I could have charged!  A few dogs as well found the tyre irresistible to have a go at, although I was mindful of spooking the horses so kept clear of them.

I’ll be heading down a few more times in the coming weeks, and will try to get Epilepsy Action featured prominently on me or the tyre for good measure.  It's useful training although the real feel of pulling a 13 stone sledge over snow and ice is very difficult to replicate with a tyre over mud and grass - a sledge is designed to slide and there's very little friction on the snow and ice, so once moving it's not that hard, but technically challenging with obstacles like ice rubble and so on obviously.  You use different muscle groups though, particularly in your legs, which is hard to replicate in a gym on a cross trainer.  It does add to the variety of the training of course!

Thank you to Laura - training buddy, travelling PR rep, motivator and camera woman, all in one!

I'll be talking about the Baffin Island Expedition I did in April 2008, and also about the upcoming Expedition to the Magnetic North Pole.  This is a great opportunity to see some of the great work Epilepsy Action does, helping people affected by Epilepsy, both as patients and their carers, friends and family.

All are welcome - if anyone wants to come along, please email Mary-Jane Atkins on episup@hotmail.com, and copy me.