Mayhem and Magic: Mt. Vinson

October 20, 2009

When you think of mountain climbers you think of healthy, robust individuals and Dr. Heather Ross, Director of the Cardiac Transplant Program at the Toronto General Hospital, would not convince you otherwise.

In 2006 she came within 200 vertical metres of the summit of the Vinson Massif, Antarctica's highest peak, climbing with Dale Shippam, 55, a firefighter who had a heart transplant.

Now Ross has her sights set on the North Pole, taking along Shippam and Trude Mulder Hall (also a heart transplant recipient) as well as Dr. Michel White. Ross hopes to demonstrate that not only can post-transplant patients live active lives, but they can become superbly fit.

There is also ground-breaking research to be done. Working with Dr. Michel White of the Montreal Heart Institute, Ross and the team will investigate transplant recipients' biochemical response to high altitude and what role hypoxia (low blood-oxygen levels) plays.

Presentation is at 1:30 PM,  just outside the Body Worlds Exhibit Hall, Level 6 (free with general admission. Prentation lasts 20 minutes followed by 15 minute Q & A)


Her groups website for info:

http://www.tgwhf.ca/sites/testyourlimits/