A North East businessman is flying home to his family for Christmas after falling ill during a trek to the South Pole in tribute to his mother.
Michael Mitten, chief executive of electro mechanical engineering company Houghton International, was making the trek 10 years after a similar challenge, when he ventured to the North Pole in memory of his father Ron, who died from lung cancer.
The Newcastle firm Houghton International was founded by his parents Ron and Christine, and after raising £40,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of his father, he was hoping to raise even more for the MS Society, to mark the bravery of his mother Christine, who suffered MS for more than 18 years.
His target is £50,000 for MS Society, which will be split between the Sunderland MS Society - of which Mrs Mitten was a long-term supporter and fundraiser - and research into how diet can affect symptoms of MS.
Last month he jetted to Chile to join the four-person team before heading out on the 60 nautical mile journey across the ice in the hostile Antarctic environment, braving temperatures up to -50°C, pulling 80kg of equipment and food needed to make the journey.
However, Mr Mitten was struck down with a serious chest infection halfway through the trek, forcing him to call a halt to the journey.
Ironically, he did reach his goal because a snow mobile from was sent to rescue him and take him to the South Pole, where he waited for a flight to take him out of Antarctica and back to Chile.
Now the company boss is back in the 海角视频 after flying into Heathrow this morning, Monday December 23, ahead of the final leg of his journey to Newcastle where he will be reunited with friends and family later today.
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“I’m a little dazed and confused,” he said.
“But we were originally told we couldn’t fly home until after Christmas, so I’m just really grateful I can make it home.
“All flights out of Antarctica were grounded after a military plane crash, and they were making safety checks, so we were told we’d have to stay at the South Pole for three days. At the same briefing we were told that meal rations were going down from three meals a day to two – and that there was a bout of gastroenteritis going around.
“So, I went for a long walk with a Canadian guy who also has children, and we were both beside ourselves. When we got back though it was all sorted, and a plane was on its way.”
Mr Mitten’s illness struck suddenly last Thursday three days into the challenge.
He collapsed outside his tent, unable to get enough oxygen to his lungs.
“I couldn’t breathe and I basically went down like a sack of spuds. My tent buddy Roy got my into the tent and they got calls into the doctors,” he said.
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“The fear was that I had cardiopulmonary edema, where your lungs fill with liquid and you essentially drown if you don’t get out of altitude.
“I had to spend the whole night sitting up, because of the worry that my lungs had fluid on them.
“Altitude sickness, the temperatures of-34C and super-dry air combined to make it worse.”
Their guide for the trip was carrying strong antibiotics so he was able to start medication straight away, and the next morning they tried to set off again but Mr Mitten was unfortunately too unwell and it was arranged for someone to come from The South Pole to rescue him on a snow mobile.
“I was halfway there in terms of distance and had skiied for three days. I’m absolutely gutted. I did there but there was no sense of satisfaction,” he said.
“However, we’ve had some great coverage and raised awareness of Multiple Sclerosis and raised around £17,000 which is brilliant, and I’ve got lots of plans for when I get back to help me get to the target of £50,000.
“So, on the one hand I feel a sense of achievement, but on the other it’s a bit hollow.”
There is every chance Mr Mitten will return to Antartica to achieve his mission in full – but it won’t be a while.
“I don’t think it will be next year. . . I need to remain married. My wife Dorcas is extremely supportive but I don’t want to push it! But I do antipicate going back to finish the job at some point.
More details on Mr Mitten’s quest can be found on the website https://polesapart2019.com/.