An interview with Gary McKitterick Gillett from Trek Ready Himalayas- Mountain Climbing for PD on June 17, 2023 by George Ackerman, Ph.D, J.D.
“The cures we want aren’t going to fall from the sky. We have to get ladders and climb”
-Michael J. Fox
Biography
A passion for helping others and building mutually beneficial networks!
Combining raising money for a cause close to your heart and trekking to Everest Base Camp, it does not get much more gratifying than that!
This is an opportunity to make a real difference, you may find that people will be very generous and supportive of you taking on something as unique and impressive as this!
2020 proved to be a most challenging year for everyone, we Everested Mt Coolum on the Sunshine Coast by climbing it 42 times over a week in place of traveling to Nepal and will repeat this effort in July 2021 as a part of our preparation.
Trekkers elsewhere accumulated the 8848 M in their own regions of Australia, highlighting the inventiveness of the Aussie spirit and our willingness to help people in need.
2021 will hopefully bring more adventure and goodwill. The seduction of Mount Everest has long been known to travelers, climbers, and adventurers alike.
Please tell me a little about your background and what got you involved with awareness.
I work in the health sector as a clinical assistant in a Cancer care service, assisting Social Work with patient’s needs.
Prior to this role I worked in a rehabilitation setting with elderly patients, quite often with comorbidities such as Parkinson’s Disease, Dementia, COPD, and diabetes.
Outside of work I had always been involved with health and fitness, via sports, and sports administration. And a sense of adventure, having completed 6 crossings of the Kakoda Track, The Sandakan Death March, twice to Mt Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, and Annapurna Base camp, Langtang Valley and Mt Kinabalu in Borneo.
My social consciousness combined with these two areas, and we looked for a charity that best fitted with our needs. Hence my now long-standing relationship with Shake It Up Australia, who are linked with the Michael J Fox Foundation in the US.
Can you tell me more about your organization?
Shake It Up Australia was established in 2011 as a not-for-profit organization and in partnership with the Michael J. Fox Foundation. It promotes and funds Parkinson’s Disease research in Australia aimed at better treatments and ultimately a cure. I have been associated with Shake It Up Australia since 2015.
Shake It Up Australia
OUR VISION- Our vision is a world without Parkinson’s.
OUR MISSION- Our mission is to accelerate innovative research and treatments to slow, stop, and cure Parkinson’s.
OUR VALUES- Trust, Commitment, Collaboration, Innovative, Agile, Accountable, Driven
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
My passion is to explore and challenge myself, while sharing the wonders of Nepal to people with a spirit of adventure that just need a little encouragement.
We combine fundraising with health and fitness, with the tri to Nepal, which is self-funded. As the culmination of their fundraising efforts.
What type of goals do individuals with Parkinson’s have when working with you?
The greatest challenge in dealing with Parkinson’s patients is that they are all different. PD presents in different ways to each patient.
We use the term “slow and steady” when teaching people about trekking at altitude, so this seems to fit well with PD.
The goals that we set in preparation are more time related than distance,
What type of training and how long are the programs?
Hills, hills and more hills, plus strength work in a gym environment and the most important one being to train like you trek.
Wear your books, put on your daypack, and the gear that you will walk in. Get used to using a water bladder in your pack, get used to using water purification tablets, get used to an electrolyte that works for you.
So that when your trek time arrives, you are well prepared and there are no surprises.
What effect can it have on Parkinson’s fighters?
In the three months leading up to a trek, I recommend at least 3 x two-hour hill walks per week as a minimum. Plus, swimming, and some weight work.
I begin 10 months out with 2 x 90-minute hill sessions, swimming, and weight work and then shift the emphasis to hill training at the t minus 3 months.
A comment I recall from a gerontologist who specialized in Parkinson’s Disease, was that all that exercise and fresh air was always going to be better that any medication he could prescribe.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your programs?
Our hope this year is to recruit 30 people to help join our team and fundraise so that we reach our goal of $50,000.
Plus take 20 people to Nepal, to trek Mt Everest Base Camp or Mt Annapurna Base camp.
We are also proving an add on for the Mt Everest Base Camp trek with a summiting of Mt Lobuche at 6119M
What we want is to not have to do any of this, that a cure is found and becomes readily available soon.
What events do you participate in?
I conduct a weekly walk in the local hills, which is published, and all are invited to join in.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
E: trekreadyhimalayas@gmail.com
Instagram: @trekreadyhimalayas
Facebook: @trekreadyhimalayas
Website: www.trekreadyhimalayas.com
Tiktok: @garygillett Trek Ready Himalayas
Whats app M: 61+ 0409573951
Fundraising link
https://our-fundraisers.raisely.com/everest-trek-for-parkinsons-2024
Shake It Up Australia https://shakeitup.org.au/