Our Mission :: CHO OYU 2006~EVEREST 2004: Friendship Beyond Borders Expeditions

CHO OYU 2006 ~ EVEREST 2004

Friendship Beyond Borders Expeditions

A Team of International Friends Helping Amputees Change the World

Our Mission ~
Demonstrating The Power of Friendship Beyond Borders to Help Amputees Solve Health and Environmental Challenges Around the World

Today, people are increasingly interconnected by global benefits of technology, communications and travel. Yet people are also increasingly endangered by global threats to our health and environment. Each of us can play an important role in solving these problems--in our own part of the world, using our own special talents. We just need to find a way to step into that role.

That is what the Friendship Beyond Borders Team would like to provide for amputees around the world: Give them the chance to step into the role of Leaders in solving health and environmental problems in their own part of the world, using their own special talents. Given our team's particular expertise, we will:

Focus on helping amputees who are from developing countries
Focus on helping them solve health and environmental problems affecting the mountain regions of those countries

Great ideas for solving world problems are not limited by national boundaries. They are limited by their opportunity to be known, shared, and acted upon.

As mountaineers, we understand how huge, seemingly insurmountable problems can be overcome with commitment, persistence, optimism, and the special 'Friendship of the Rope'. We took on the challenge of helping Nawang Sherpa realize his lifelong dream of climbing Mount Everest to demonstrate this to the world. By helping Nawang overcome his disability, we knew he could play an important role in solving health and environmental problems in his country by raising public awareness of these issues and their solutions.

With the success of our EVEREST: Friendship Beyond Borders Expedition in 2004, we are now ready to extend opportunities to others like Nawang Sherpa. Through our expeditions, speaking tours, and films, we intend to achieve the above objectives. Mountaineers have historically been at the leading edge of environmental protection, and powerful advocates for the ability of mountains to strengthen our minds, bodies, and spirits through recreation. We believe in continuing that long tradition.

We invite you to join us in supporting our 2006 expedition to another 8,000 meter peak in the beautiful Himalayan region, Cho Oyu. Supporters and sponsors will help Nawang and others like him in mountain regions of developing countries--strong young people who want to work and have a productive, rewarding life after suffering severe injuries. If you have questions about our expedition, how you can participate, or how you can benefit from it, please contact us.

Tom McMillan, Expedition Leader
Nawang Sherpa, Team Climber
Linda McMillan, Public Relations & Communications Team

Following the great tradition of Sir Edmund Hillary, famous mountaineers like Ed Viesturs, Nawang Sherpa, and David Breashears shown here at our Everest Base Camp in 2004, have a unique ability to focus world attention on mountain protection issues and inspire positive action.

Mountaineers -- like Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir in the early 20th century -- have historically been important advocates of health and mountain protection issues. They believe strongly in the ability of mountains to strengthen minds, bodies, and spirits through travel, adventure, and vigorous outdoor recreation.