Mt. Everest 2005: Will Cross a type 1 diabetic takes on Everest: Checking In

©Brad Clement

Update: Will Cross – Checking In

I am speaking to you from the top of the world base camp.  I’m just days away right now from Mt. Everest. My ascent really started years ago when I was about 9 years old and diagnosed with diabetes and I was told that I couldn’t do the same things that other kids do, particularly adventure sports.  I didn’t really accept that and I started climbing as a kid and since then have reached the tallest mountains on most of the continents, including Kilimanjaro in Africa and Aconcagua in Argentina and the Andes.  For those kind of challenges I exercised, keep control of my glucose numbers and I give myself insulin shots when I’m climbing.  The way to succeed is to establish goals in life and then step by step, just like you are climbing a mountain, to do everything to accomplish them.  That is certainly the way I am trying to climb Mt. Everest, one foot in front of the other, trying to get up almost 30,000 feet.  Basically, what I would like to do is show that there are no diabetics, only people who happen to have diabetes and that all of us can manage it successfully and that we can accomplish any dream once we set out.

NovoLog Insulin, Kobold Watches and SummitOxygen are this years sponsors for my second go on Everest. The expedition is part of The NovoLog Peaks and Poles Challenge; my quest to climb the seven summits and reach both Poles.

Last year Brad Clement and I turned around at about 27,500. He had a retinal hemorrhage and my oxygen tank valve locked shut. Going down made the most sense then and still does today!

I have thought every day about that attempt and how this one will be different. I'd like to carry to C3, come down to C2 to rest and then go back up to better acclimatize. A rest day at C4, weather permitting, is another option. I will also wear my insulin pump beyond BC to keep the best blood sugars possible. My diabetes must remain in good control despite the punishment of an expedition; this, in turn will allow for faster recovery and better acclimatization. Will

Will Cross, who became the first person with diabetes to reach the South Pole, attempted to reach the summit of Mt. Everest on May 17, 2004, but was forced to turn back because of extreme exhaustion and a shortage of oxygen. As a type 1 diabetes patient, Will carefully controlled his blood glucose levels using NovoLog® insulin and long-acting Novolin®, and followed a carefully determined diet of 3,500 calories per day.  The climate of Mt. Everest is naturally extreme and at no time of the year does the temperature on the summit rise above freezing. Howling winds, little oxygen, avalanches and unpredictable weather also contribute to the severe conditions on the mountain. 

Will Cross is an educator and explorer who has learned that the secret to success is envisioning life and work as a series of challenging and inspiring adventures, with virtually endless opportunities to seize and mountains to embrace. As a world-class mountain climber and a much-sought-after motivational speaker, Will is uniquely qualified to use the exploration metaphor in his Will Cross motivates program to help individuals and organizations maximize both effort and performance.

Will Cross, Everest Climber, explorer, author and motivational speaker. To book Will e-mail

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