Patrick, 58, sets world record pulling sledge 220 kilometres at
temperatures of -40°C
Patrick McIntosh reached the South Pole on 17th
January 2015 after a 222km trek. He is now waiting for confirmation that he has
set a world record for “the first triple
cancer survivor to walk 222km to the South Pole”.
He has recovered from
bowel, prostate and skin cancers, all of which are unrelated. He will be
speaking at the Horsham Scouts District Awards event in June.
Patrick was absolutely delighted that the 1st Partridge Green Scouts wanted to
support him by holding a sponsored
snowball fight at the first sign of snow, and that they gave him his own Scout
scarf. He recorded a video especially for the group while training at altitude
in Chamonix, and has proudly sported his scarf on sky news, BBC south east and most importantly at the South Pole.
Patrick wishes to use his trip as a hook to get people
thinking and talking about their health and reacting fast to any symptoms. He
hopes to prove that, with early diagnosis, it is possible to return to an
invigorated life after cancer.
Now he has returned from Antarctica, he will be
delivering presentations to various groups and organisations to raise awareness
of these issues.
He travelled with highly experienced polar guide Conrad
Dickinson, aged 59, from Hexham in Northumberland, who led Prince Harry and his
team on the Walking With The Wounded expedition in 2013. Unlike WWTW, this
latest trip was entirely unsupported, meaning they carried all supplies and
equipment themselves.
Apart from a broken jacket zip and a broken stove, their
only main problem was Patrick’s breathing issues, “I was exhausted and had huge
breathing problems because of bronchial inflammation from the weather”, he said.
Patrick’s scouting knowledge certainly came into play in
Antarctica; Conrad said he would have awarded him the “tent erection badge, but
he’s failed on the knot tying badge”.
Website: www.kmg.co.uk/kmg-foundation
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kmgfoundation
Twitter: @KMGfoundation
