On April 7th, VHUK’s Senior Business Analyst, Joseph Smith, will embark on a trek to Everest Base Camp! Joseph and his partner’s father, Pete, will trek for around 7-8 hours each day to a staggering 18,240ft, where the oxygen level is just 50%. Depending on acclimatisation days, the pair expect to cover between 80-100 miles in total.

A self-confessed ‘adrenaline junkie’, Joseph has climbed, hiked and kayaked across a variety of different terrains for charity before, but his latest adventure will be the most challenging to date, and we’re delighted that he’s chosen to use this as an opportunity to raise money for VHUK’s corporate charity partners for 2025, Doctors in Distress and Dementia UK.

Doctors in Distress is an independent charity that provides support for all UK based healthcare workers to protect their mental health and prevent suicide. The charity was set up in 2019 by Amandip Sidhu following the suicide of his brother Dr Jagdip Sidhu, a consultant cardiologist. The first support group launched in 2020 and since then, the charity has helped support more than 4000 healthcare professionals with their mental health. 

Dementia UK provides specialist dementia support for families through its Admiral Nurse Service. Admiral nurses work alongside people with dementia and their families, providing one-to-one support, expert guidance, and practical solutions in communities, hospitals, hospices, and via their helpline.

Joseph would like to wholeheartedly thank everyone in advance for donating to his charity fundraiser; any donation for his trek to Everest Base Camp, no matter how large or small, is very much appreciated, and will make a big difference to the people and causes both charities support. Donations raised will be split equally between each charity.

We would like to wish Joseph and Pete all the very best for the remainder of their preparation and their thrilling trip ahead!