On my way to the South Pole!

Thank you everybody for your support during my preparation for this adventure.

Happy New Year!!!

Please follow our team's jouney. We will be posting daily reports with the team's current location as well as an audio dispatch from Antarctica. We encourage you to sign up for automatic email alerts.

http://polarexplorerssouthpole2013.blogspot.ca

www.testyourlimits.ca

Twitter @DrDiegoDelgado

Meet Dale

If anyone thinks having an organ transplant means being forced to take it easy for the rest of one’s life, don’t tell that to Dale Shippam.

Dale is getting ready to ski to the South Pole, the latest of a series of fundraising adventures he has participated in since undergoing the life-saving surgery nearly 13 years ago.

Dale is the reason we are going to the South Pole.



Have you thought of giving the gift of life to someone?

The team is training

 Dr. Diego Delgado

Dr. Michel White

Dr. Heather Ross

Trying my gear

It is time to check the gear and make the last adjustments.

This is probably the best combination of gear to protect my head and neck.
I cannot leave any skin unprotected. Frostbite can occur in less than 5 minutes.

Here I am wearing our incredibly warm OSC MISSION Parka.




Baffin boots that resist temperatures up to - 100 C.

 I will wear this light windproof jacket most of the day. As soon as I stop for a break I will put on the OSC MISSION Parka

Meet John

Great news to share: Heart Transplant Patient Marks 30 Years Since Transplant.

John McCafferty, 70, from Newport Pagnell, UK was given five years to live when he had his operation in 1982 at Harefield Hospital, Middlesex.

"I am astounded and slightly shocked that I have managed to get as far as I have," he said.
 

What is his secret recipe for success?

Three more weeks of training

We are getting very close...

The team has all the gear ready, including satellite phones, laptop and solar panels.
Temperature at the South Pole this week -30 C.

I keep Testing My Limits...

At Sunnybrook Park, Sunday December 9

 One hour later, having a 5-minute break

Two hours later...The last hill, I hate this one!!!
Getting dark and cold.

Thanks everyone for your support!!!

www.testyourlimits.ca

Our Itinerary

Five more weeks to go...Lots of anxiety!!!

This is our itinerary:

Day 1 (January 2): Arrival in Punta Arenas, Chile.

Day 2: We'll spend the day in Punta Arenas readying our kits and preparing for the flight to Antarctica.

Day 3: Weather permitting, we'll board a charter flight to Antarctica at the Union Glacier basecamp. Tour of Union Glacier basecamp, and time to set up camp.

Day 4: A day in Union Glacier basecamp acclimatizing and getting ready for the expedition.

Day 5: Weather permitting, we'll fly to 89 degree South for the beginning of our expedition. If we are unable to fly we will use the time at Union Glacier basecamp to train, ready our systems and acclimatize to Antarctica.

Day 6-13: Ski towards the South Pole! Days will be spent skiing across the Polar plateau, taking occasional breaks to stay hydrated and well fed. Evenings will find us relaxing in our tents and feasting on well-earned meals.

Day 13: Arrive at the South Pole! We'll visit the ceremonial and geographic South Pole markers and take dozens of photographs to document our success. Use our sat phone to make the prized call home from the bottom of the world. We'll camp near the South Pole and await our return flight to Union Glacier basecamp. Time permitting, we may have an opportunity to tour the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Research Station.

Day 14: We'll depart for the return flight to Union Glacier basecamp. 

Day 15: We'll depart for the return flight to Punta Arenas.

Preparing the gear

 

This is some of the gear I will bring to the South Pole.

 

And here are the kids trying my gear!!!

Training at Sunnybrook Park

Thanksgiving Day.

Preparing the harness, poles, and a 50-pound tire

Great afternoon to go for a long walk pulling a tire

Mateo and my nephew Robby decided to join me for a 2 hour walk

Training with Mateo

Sunday September 30, after a long day at TGH, Mateo asked me to run 2 Km with him in preparation for the Ashbridges Bay Cross Country Race.

 October 3, 2012. Mateo in action...

Future Polar Explorer?

Street Party

Street party. Great occasion to promote organ donation and transplantation.
Many kids and families came to our improvised Trillium Gift of Life mobile post.
And Sofia, the youngest TGLN volunteer, was inviting other kids to do some games. She tested other kids about which organs could be transplanted. Those who answered correct, received a Transplant Surgeon Diploma!!!!

And here is one of my neighbours getting a form to register as a donor

Do you want to know how to save a life?

Training in Buenos Aires



I was invited to Asuncion, Paraguay to give a few talks about Heart Failure and Transplantation.

I stopped in Buenos Aires, Argentina for 3 days to visit my family. Beautiful weather and of course daily training in Lagos de Palermo. Great place close to the river Rio de la Plata where I used to play soccer and train with my friends.

My brother Francisco was training with me as he is getting ready for a 10 km race in October.

Do you want to watch some videos of my training?

Meet Andrea

When I was 22 and finishing up a Biology degree at UBC in Vancouver, my heart failed out of the blue, probably due to an unknown virus. It all happened very fast – I was studying for exams, playing volleyball and working part-time one week and the next week I fainted, went into heart failure and was soon on life support in multiple organ failure.  Because I was dying, the heart team decided to implant a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and a right-VAD to take over the function of both sides of my heart and buy me some time to a heart transplant. It was a tough adjustment as I had never been sick or had surgery before.

Meet Jurate

Jurate is the winner of the Contest "Dr. D Fitness Assessment".

Jurate received a heart transplant almost 8 years ago. She is doing great. Enjoying life to the fullest.






How can I get South Pole t-shirts and sweatshirts?

2000 Visits

The Blog have received more than 2000 visits!!!!

Thank you everybody for your support. It is very nice to realize that many patients, friends and family members (especially Mateo and Sofia) are very motivated to exercise and eat healthy.
You don't need to climb a mountain or to go to the South Pole in order to be fit !!!.

It is also amazing to know how a simple blog can help people to learn more about organ donation and transplantation.

More good news....

Training at Home

Some pics taken by Mateo during my training at home.

I have been doing interval training, combining weights, cardio and some martial arts. And of course, Sofia always wants to challange her daddy.

South Pole Appreciation Party

On October 11, 2012, the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre together with the Windsor Arms Hotel will host the South Pole Appreciation Party to celebrate the generous supporters of the Test Your Limits Program.

The evening at the Windsor Arms will be an opportunity for us to thank our greatest supporters of the Advanced Heart Failure Program.

The Advanced Heart Failure Program is one of the world's leading programs dedicated to end-stage heart failure research. Funds raised in support of the Test Your Limits directly support the Advanced Heart Failure Program's research advancement, education and life-saving patient care.