Meet Emirati mountaineer Hanady Alhashmi, who climbed the height of Mount Everest at her home to raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis, reflecting on the perseverance and dedication of local women ahead of Emirati Women’s Day.

Hanady tasked herself with climbing the height of Mount Everest, which stands at 8,848 meters, during the lockdown. She simulated the setup, using a treadmill at varied inclines, averaging between 15% to 40%. The hike took her seven days to complete.

“Resilience and perseverance are two common factors between both mountain climbing and living with MS, and since Emirati Women’s Day celebrates women and their contributions to the country, I thought it was the perfect event to celebrate this purpose-driven achievement,” says Hanady.

She has been working towards creating awareness about MS, an autoimmune condition that affects the brain and the spinal cord by damaging its cells,  and first took part in the #ClimbForMS initiative in 2019, when she successfully reached North America’s highest mountain peak, Denali.

The condition affects almost 2.3 million people worldwide. “It’s important now more than ever, to acknowledge and spread awareness about this disease, so that we can change the world for those with Multiple Sclerosis,” she shares. “My hope is that by me and everyone else playing small parts in spreading awareness of MS, we can really make a change.”

Hanady is the only Emirati woman to have climbed five of the Seven Summits, one of which is Denali. She pursued her love for trekking at a young age amidst the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah. She hopes to continue motivating others to achieve their goals and dreams the way she did.

Images courtesy of Hanady Alhashmi