Cheryl is not a normal mum... she's a cool mum. 🤩
In 2008, an amazing mother-daughter duo, Cheryl and Nikki, became the first mother and daughter to climb Everest!
The adventurous family from Sydney, Australia decided to take the idea of a 'mother-daughter trip’ to new heights when they conquered their final peak of the Seven Summits, Mount Everest.
🔎 The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Climbing to the summit of all of them is an incredible achievement!
16 years after the record, Nikki says: “We are very proud of the achievement but are most proud of having done it together.
“Being the first mother-daughter team is the icing on the cake, or the summit of the mountain, so to speak.”
They've always been passionate about sports, and Cheryl remembers that they started to tackle Everest prior to the record attempt by trekking to Everest Base Camp when Nikki was just 16 years old...
Could climbing Everest be one of your life goals? 👀
After completing 6 of the Seven Summits together, Everest started to appear like a reachable goal to Cheryl and Nikki. Of course, Everest is the tallest mountain in the whole world, but still it had become a possibility and the 2 record holders were more ready than ever before to face the new challenge. 😎
Despite their busy life and commitments - Cheryl was working full-time as a Company Director and Nikki was studying to become a doctor – they decided to give the record-breaking challenge a shot.
“We started to discuss that if Everest were to be a goal, we would need to climb another 8,000 m peak first," they explained.
"This would mean seeing how our bodies handled [...] the area above 8,000 m were your body is experiencing [very low] oxygen levels."
So, after successfully climbing Cho Oyu (the 6th-highest mountain in the world) in 2007, they started planning for Everest. 😬
“The beauty of mountaineering is that it takes you to some exceptional places on Earth,” the incredible duo told us.
Indeed, the world is a beautiful place! 🌎
And apart from trying new experiences and discovering new places, they also love to create new memories together. ❤️
Training for Mount Everest
So how does one train to climb the world's tallest mountain, you might ask? 🤔
Well, it definitely isn't an easy process...
Both Nikki and Cheryl took time off to properly prepare for the challenge.
In addition to their expeditions, they would also take long treks, walking for more than 10 HOURS carrying a heavy pack and ankle weights!
Everything was going as planned, until suddenly, an unexpected incident forced them to take a step back.
“Nikki got frostbite while we climbed Denali in Alaska,” Cheryl remembers. “This was a huge setback, and in the end, we decided to take a year off climbing then re-evaluate the risks and strengthen our bodies and minds.”
Conquering Mount Everest
It was definitely one of the hardest things they have done in their lives but, through hard work, determination, and simply refusing to give up on their dream, Cheryl and Nikki did it! ✨
Talking about their experience, the mother and daughter listed some of their favourite moments: “Laughing in the tent at the end of the day, crying over foot blisters, learning new skills together, achieving something especially when it looked impossible...”
We also love the deeper understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and the sheer pleasure that comes from working towards a big goal as a team.
“My mum inspires me,” Nikki said. “She pursues her dreams to the fullest.”
But Cheryl also said that she feels inspired by Nikki every day: “She’s amazing. On the mountains, Nikki was the best partner I could ever dream of!”
Although Nikki and Cheryl are not planning to break any new records for the future, they want to continue exploring the world and taking on new adventures as a team. ✈️
And, to anyone who wants to embark on an adventure – no matter how big or small – they say: yes, do it!
If you are asking the question, no matter what the adventure… DO IT.
Feel inspired by Cheryl and Nikki's story?
Grab a pen and paper and write down, or draw, your biggest dreams and goals in life!
Then, keep the piece of paper somewhere in your room where you'll be able to see it all the time, so that you never lose sight of your goals.
We can't wait to see you all make your dreams come true... and we hope you break world records while doing it! 😉
