A Bristol surgeon is preparing to take on the biggest physical and mental challenge of his life – a 12-day trek to Everest Base Camp – to raise vital funds for The Sick Children’s Trust.
Raj Bhatia, 54, has spent decades focused on his demanding career in medicine, but in October he’ll swap the operating theatre for the gruelling, awe-inspiring trails of the Himalayas. Despite never having done anything like this before, Raj is determined to complete a trek that will push him far outside his comfort zone.
Raj Bhatia
“I’m turning 55 this year, and all I’ve ever really done is work,” said Raj, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon who runs the Bristol Hand & Wrist Clinic in Clifton. “I’ve never taken time out to do something just for me, something different. My mates were all talking about going to Las Vegas, but I thought, what’s the point of that? I wanted to do something that truly challenges me.”
And challenge himself he has. Not only does Raj dislike hiking – “I usually moan when my wife tries to get me out on walks”, he joked – he also hates cold weather and is afraid of heights. The Everest Base Camp trek ticks all three of those boxes, making it the perfect test of endurance and courage.
“I’m not going to the summit,” he clarified. “But I will be going beyond base camp, to 5,600m. Mont Blanc (Europe’s highest peak, located in the French Alps) is only 4,800m, so it’s still a serious height. I’ll be walking for seven or eight hours a day for nearly two weeks.”
Preparation
To prepare, Raj has swapped his high-intensity gym sessions for long hikes in the Welsh Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons, just across the Severn Bridge from his Bristol home. He recently completed a 16km trek around the Avon Gorge and even tackled a snowy climb up Table Mountain in Wales.
“I’ve started to enjoy it,” he admitted. “Now I’ve got a goal, a purpose – it’s not just walking for the sake of it. I’ve had to switch my training to focus more on endurance rather than strength or speed. It’s been a learning curve, but it’s been good.”
Raj on a training hike in Wales.
Although Raj originally signed up for the trek as a personal challenge, a conversation with long-time friend David Plane, a trustee and fundraiser for The Sick Children’s Trust after his own family was supported by the charity in 2015, inspired him to use the opportunity to raise funds for the charity.
“David asked if I was doing it for a charity, and I hadn’t really thought about it at that point,” Raj explained. “But once he mentioned it, it made perfect sense. I know he’s done a lot for the charity in the past, and I know how important their support was for his family. I’ve never done anything like this before, so it feels right to use it to give something back.”
“I liked the idea of supporting a smaller charity,” Raj continued. “You always see people collecting for big charities, but I think it’s important to support local or less well-known causes. The work The Sick Children’s Trust does is amazing, keeping families together at the most difficult times.”
Motivation
Raj will set off for Nepal in mid-October. In the meantime, he’s continuing his training with another major goal on the horizon – a climb up Ben Nevis in June with David as part of his preparation.
While he admits to some nerves, Raj is motivated by the cause and the thought of doing something completely different. “I’ve got a great network of friends and colleagues, and I’m hopeful they’ll get behind me once I start spreading the word. I may never do anything like this again, so I want to make it count.”
To support Raj’s incredible journey and help The Sick Children’s Trust keep families together, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/raj-everest-trek .