From left: Joanne Soo, Esther Tan, Lee Lihui, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Jane Lee, Sim Yihui and Lee Peh Gee -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
SINGAPORE'S first women's team to tackle Mount Everest have their sights set firmly on the challenge.
So focused are they that three of the six team members went for Lasik surgery two years ago to avoid the inconvenience of wearing contacts or eye infections.
'My eyes couldn't get used to wearing day and night contact lenses,' said copywriter Esther Tan, 26.
The women flew to Kathmandu, Nepal on Saturday. They were sent off at Changi Airport by over 200 people, including Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.
The other members are Ms Lee Lihui, 27, a senior pharmaceutical product specialist; Ms Jane Lee, 25, a student development officer at Republic Polytechnic; Ms Sim Yihui, 26, a training facilitator at Raffles Junior College; Ms Joanne Soo, 39, the owner of outdoor adventure firm Ace Adventure; and Singapore Armed Forces Major Lee Peh Gee, 32.
The eye operations were done two years ago when the team members were ready to go but lacked funds to do so.
Said team leader Jane Lee: 'After people heard of our situation, sponsors came pouring in.'
They now have 25 sponsors, such as SingTel, Lee Foundation and the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore, to fund their $500,000 three-month trip.
From Kathmandu, they will head to Lukla for a one-week acclimatisation climb of the 6,119m Lobuche Peak. Early next month, they will begin the Everest ascent. They expect to reach the summit in mid-May.
