Teenage boy summits Ama Dablam for charity

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A 16-year-old British teenager, Calum McIntyre, has climbed Ama Dablam (6,812m) in the Himalayas to raise money for a cancer fund.

The achievement on October 25 by Calum - possibly the youngest person ever to accomplish the feat on the technically challenging mountain - was commended by the president of the UIAA Medical Commission, Buddha Basnyat, due to the ascent’s “human and medical” aspects.

Calum was attempting to raise £5,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

“My sister, Esme, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in November 2006 and has spent a lot of time in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh,” Calum said. “She continues to make vast progress and gets a lot of support from The Teenage Cancer Trust.

“Another motivation for me is because my father was also treated for cancer in 2008. He had his voice box removed in January 2009.”

His father, Dave Morris, was part of the expedition. Even though he did not go for the summit, he did climb above 6,000m on Lobuche East peak. He is believed to be the first person to climb to that height after undergoing a laryngectomy operation.

Dave is director of Ramblers Scotland and was for many years a member of the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission, and its president for eight years.

(Dave Morris, left, Calum Macintyre, right, in Kathmandu after ascent)