ACE employees conquer Kilimanjaro

By Nigel Regan

19th July, 2002

SEVERE altitude sickness, broken ankles, sleeping on rocks — just a regular day on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Five ACE Bermuda Ltd. employees have just returned from a gruelling climb up the African beast. Along with colleagues from other countries, they managed to raise more than $250m for the ISIS Foundation, which will use the money to develop projects for children in Uganda. Roger Gillett, who works in the company’s business development department, had the most dramatic tale to tell. During the final ascent, a lack of oxygen made him act and feel as though he was drunk. But he carried on, apparently telling his colleagues he didn’t want to disappoint his sponsors.
Mr. Gillett can’t remember too much of what happened only to say that in retrospect he is eternally grateful to the guides who led him to safety.
The Bermuda team included Edmina Bradshaw, who came up with the idea, Patrick Mitchell, Deborah Smith and Keith White. It took them eight days to reach the summit, which rises above the clouds at 19,340ft.
Ms. Bradshaw said: “We knew each other beforehand, but not to the degree we do now.”
She added: “ We all came to the conclusion that no one can prepare themselves fully for something like this. We didn’t realize how cold it was going to be.”
Mr. White added: “One fellow damaged his ankle and still had to walk two days on it.”
Ms. Bradshaw said: “When we decided to do this climb, we expected there to be paths, but we found the terrain was so rugged, it required our full concentration.”
The team had to get up at midnight and walk with lamps as they embarked on the final ascent. It took so much out of them that some eight hours later when they reached the peak, it was almost an anti-climax. Because of the altitude, there’s not much oxygen so climbers can only stay at the peak for about ten minutes before the lungs start filling with fluid.
Ms Bradshaw took a satellite phone up the mountain and filed daily reports so everyone would know they were safe.
Yesterday the team said that despite the scary moments they’re really pleased they did it. But most of all they’d grateful to their sponsors for making the trip possible.