I joined the Citeline editorial team in November 2007, very interested in working with teams in the US and India to build a clinical investigator database and excited to end my 1.5 hour commute - yes, I am a telecommuter. Before this I was a research assistant in Christopher Walsh’s lab at Harvard Medical School studying the differences between the right and left hemisphere of the brain and looking for genes involved in diseases like autism and Walker-Warburg syndrome.
When I heard about this challenge in Nepal to raise money for charities I thought, “I have to do this!” I love mountain climbing, I love traveling, and the timing couldn’t be better. I will turn 30 this October and will accomplish my personal goal of climbing above 5,000 meters while being part of an enormous effort to raise money for the Red Cross – very rewarding. Thank you Informa for this amazing opportunity!
So now we have to get fit enough to trek 8-12km/day for 2 weeks, stay healthy, avoid altitude sickness, and raise as much money as we can for our charities… To do this, I will stay positive, reflect on these goals, think of the people who we are raising money for and be inspired by the challenges they have to overcome. I will work on communicating with my team, identifying each of our strengths and building on them to meet our goals. What helps me from getting overwhelmed is the support of my team and of course my family and friends!
Challenges like this are life changing and I am sure I will bring new energy and new ideas to my work when I return. Cheers to the journey!
Please support me and my teammates and we will do everything we can to make it to base camp.
I am raising money for: 1. American Red Cross: Disaster Relief for Countless Crises (e.g. Tornadoes, Spring Floods, Wildfires, etc.); 2. American Red Cross: Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami (Your gift to the American Red Cross will support our disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.)
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/christinaderuzza/tornadorelief
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/christinaderuzza/japandisasterrelief(Armonk, NY): I had been anxiously awaiting my next fundraiser, this past Saturday, October 29th. This date was carefully chosen to get the maximum attendance, but due to weather this unfortunately could not be. It is a bit ironic. My fundraiser was to help the Red Cross: US Disaster Relief and here my guests and [...]
Read More...I arrived home at 3AM, Thursday morning. What a flight. Everything went smoothly except for JFK, my flight and 5 other flights were delayed and then, all came in at the same time. It was great spending the night in Doha. I skipped dinner and slept from 5PM to 3AM. This really got me through [...]
Read More...Triumph, all eight of us made it to Basecamp together! What a feeling. We were at extreme altitude (5200 meters); days away from tea houses and other Trekkers. As we climb here, each breath is laboured and you feel your muscles tighten. We acclimatise one last time by climbing high and sleeping low. We stop [...]
Read More...Clear skies this morning. I woke up before 6 am and climbed up the hill to view everest again. We had a perfect view, what a way to start the day. Today we venture to thame. We’ll be just below 4000 meters; I have to mentally prepare myself for colder temps. Off we go…
Read More...Over the last few days we have seen the power of the Yak. These amazing animals haul massive loads up small steep paths which are even difficult for humans. They seem unfazed, gentle and relentless. We’ve got 12 of them hauling all our stuff along the trail. We will have to say goodbye to the [...]
Read More...Namaste, Wow, every hour has been so eventful; all of my senses have been awakened. Kathmandu is bustling: crowded streets where cars, motor bikes, rickshaws, and pedestrians all compete for space. It’s one labyrinth with walls of shops selling spices, beaded jewellery, prayer flags, hiking gear, custom tailored suits, and pretty much anything else we [...]
Read More...I am packed and have just a couple of hours before my flight. I have butterflies in my stomach…wow, September 29th came fast! Here are a few shots of the beautiful fall foliage in Cabot, VT. I look forward to sharing some photos of Kathmandu soon. Cheers, Christina
Read More...Click here to view the invite: Invite – Wine Tasting Fundraiser *Please note that the date of the event has changed to Saturday, October 29th. RSVP: redcrosswinetasting@gmail.com Pay for your tickets securely at: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=4FFAVLN48ESNU&lc=US&item_name=American%20Red%20Cross%20%2d%20US%20Disaster%20Relief¤cy_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted
Read More...Are you ready? This is the question of the week. In the last couple of weeks I have felt strong and could hike 5-10 mi distances in the hills with ease. Then I have days like this Tuesday where I am warming up for gymnastics and I feel every muscle tighten and everything seems to [...]
Read More...Dear All, As you can imagine things are very busy with only three weeks remaining before our trek in the Himalayas. I was completely recharged after a visit to my son’s 1st grade class and talking to the amazing students. Cabot School’s multiage 1-2 classes held a book sale to raise money for Japan. The [...]
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