Genny is from the sunny Dutch Caribbean Island of Aruba and moved to London 12 years ago. Prior to moving to the UK, Genny attended the University of New Brunswick in Canada where she fell in love with the great outdoors and learnt to cross-country ski and snowshoe and got into white water rafting and kayaking.
Genny in her own words:
In June 2008, I moved to the UK and lead a fairly healthy and active life until late 2013 when I suddenly fell inexplicably ill. Unbeknownst to me I had contracted Lyme Disease and my quality of life was severely affected until I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in the summer of 2016.
Once I had recuperated I knew I wanted to do something to raise awareness on the seriousness of misdiagnosis and how it can affect every area of life. I knew I had the choice between becoming angry and embittered at the system which had missed the tell tale signs of the disease or the choice to speak of up for the untold number of patients who were suffering unnecessarily.
The Goal
In the winter of 2021, Genny will attempt to become the first woman from the Caribbean island of Aruba to ski roughly in Antarctica to the geographical South Pole. During the expedition, Genny will ski approximately 120km whilst pulling a heavy sledge containing her tent and provisions. The conditions will be extreme, with temperatures of -50° celsius and severe winds.
The aim of the expedition is to raise £25,000 for Lyme Aid UK who provide grants for people with lower incomes to get privately tested for lyme disease.
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Show notes
Where Genny is from
Living in London for the past 12 years
Working in the mining industry
Her childhood in Aruba
Her dreams as a little girl
The December 2021 expedition
Dealing with cold weather
The why behind the challenge
Being diagnosed with Lyme disease
What is Lyme disease
Turning the dream into a reality
Not having any ideas about money or the time it would take
Being naive
Getting corporate sponsorship
Leaning to embrace failure
Figuring out the timeline and date to go
Dealing with setbacks and keeping motivated
The planning and preparation for the adventure
What do I want this to look like?
Feeling overwhelmed with excitement and emotion
Dealing with concerns
Being prepared
What if I don’t like it…
Being able to risk assess
Getting the balance right with training
What a typical week looks like
Having a funding gap…
Doing a practice expedition in Northern Norway
Luxury items or minimalist
Having a nice G&T while on the ice
Figuring out the snacks
8hr cream
Dealing with uncertainty
Taking time to breathe and to just be
Why movement is so important
Blog post - The Vortex of Uncertainty - September 2, 2020
Social Media
Website: www.antarcticaruban.com
Instagram: @antarcticaruban
Facebook: @antarcticaruban
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