Mt. Everest 2005: American Brothers Set to Climb Everest

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Charitable Cause Summons O'Briens to the World's Highest Peak

Oswego New York natives Mike and Chris O' Brien are willing to take their fight against Huntington's Disease to the "top of the world" - Mt. Everest - to call attention to a deadly hereditary disease that has afflicted their family.

The O'Brien brothers, who have lost their mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and uncle to the deadly inherited neurological disease, are attempting to climb the world's highest mountain on behalf of the Hereditary Disease Foundation. If they are successful, they will become the first American brothers to ever summit the 29,035-foot peak.

The O'Brien brothers are experienced mountaineers who have climbed on five continents including the world's sixth highest mountain - Cho Oyu - in 2001. During their last trip to the Himalayas, Mike O'Brien, 39, a resident of Seattle, vowed:  " If we ever return to the Himalayas it will be to climb Everest and climb for a cause greater than ourselves. "

Chris, 32, a medical student at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, will graduate with an M.D./Ph.D. on June 2. "I plan on being at my graduation, even though the expedition won't officially be over until June 6," he said. "I hope to do both - summit Everest and graduate - within two weeks of each other."

The O'Brien brothers will begin their 64-day Mt. Everest expedition on April 4 and will attempt to summit Everest from the south (Nepal) route. When they arrive in Nepal they will set up base camp at more than 18,000 feet, where they will live for seven weeks.

If you would like to contribute to the O'Brien's fundraising effort for the Hereditary Disease Foundation, go to www.hdfoundation.org.

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