UHNM Consultants to scale the Mera Peak for Stroke Services

A team of intrepid UHNM consultants are about to embark on a 16-day expedition to climb the Mera Peak in the Himalayas for UHNM Charity.

Dr Sanjeev Nayak, Consultant Interventional Neuroradiologist, Mr Sandeep Konduru, Consultant Spinal Surgeon and Dr Nageswar Bandla, Critical Care Consultant will begin their epic fundraising adventure during the first two weeks of May.

The trio will be joined by Dr Jag Boyapati a local GP and Dr Anil Surendran, local GP and sculptor.

Dr Nayak said: “The aim of this sixteen-day expedition is to raise funds for a new angiographic suite to support the 24/7 thrombectomy service at UHNM, as well as raising awareness of mechanical Thrombectomy treatment in acute stroke and to accelerate its 24/7 access to all eligible stroke patients within UK.”

“We pioneered a mechanical thrombectomy treatment at UHNM which was the first of its kind in the UK. This ground-breaking treatment makes a difference to the patient’s lives- patients who would previously have died are now walking out of the hospital. But there’s a lack of funding and a lack of infrastructure to run this service on a 24/7 basis across the country.”

"We have been preparing for this trek since November 2022 and at 6,476 metres, the altitude will be the biggest challenge. It will be the highest climb we have done so far- the previous highest climb was 5,600 metres."

"On reaching the top summit it provides charming scenery and a panorama of the high mountains- the top five 8,000 metre-high peaks of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, and Mt.Cho-Oyu."

“Everything you do for UHNM Charity counts in the long-term. You can do little things and your own fundraising, you don’t have to do big events. Your donations will make a difference- UHNM Charity do such good work, not only in Stroke, but in areas across UHNM.”

Sandeep Konduru, Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon added: “We all love being outdoors- on treks and climbing mountains. We completed the Annapurna Circuit Trek pre-covid, and since then wanted to get to a higher challenge, literally in terms of a higher altitude, and we felt the Mera Peak was and achievable target. We’re all currently training hard and feel this is only the start, and will increase the altitude for our next trek once we’ve completed this one.”

This won’t be the first time Dr Nayak, Mr Konduru and Dr Bandla have scaled the heights for UHNM Charity, back in 2019 the trio along with Dr Boyapati climbed Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peak.

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Trek Update! 

Speaking after eight days of trekking Dr Nayak said: "It's been a gruelling trek in bad weather. We've climbed over the Zwatra-La Pass at 4,700 metres into a snow storm. After eight days we have now reached Khare at 5,000 metres and are now on way to base camp prior to summit climb, all praying for good weather!"