Princess Reema Bandar Bin Sultan Al-Saud celebrated with Saudi female climbers their heroic feat of climbing to Everest Base Camp at an altitude of 5,340 meters. The climbers amazed the world when they undertook the Himalayan task to raise public awareness about the importance of the early detection of breast cancer. Princess Reema, who organized the trip in cooperation with the Zahra Foundation for Breast Cancer, talked about how these women trained patiently to achieve this goal with a strong will and determination. They had to overcome rugged paths, endure harsh weather and deal with homesickness. She thanked Saudi Gazette for covering the journey throughout. Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeah, Minister of Health, surprised the audience when he appeared on TV to congratulate the climbers on their feat. He said that the Ministry of Health is planning to introduce more programs which focus on women's health issues. The climbers recalled that it was an arduous journey during which they suffered from nausea, a shortage of oxygen and dehydration. Lina Almaeena, co-founder of Jeddah United Sports Company and the captain of Jeddah United women's basketball team, said the toughest moment was when the oxygen level dropped sharply. “We're grateful to Allah for being able to complete our mission successfully. We left behind our loved ones to accomplish our mission,” she said. Breast cancer cases, especially among young women, are rising in the Kingdom, she said, advising them to go for early screening. Almaeena thanked Princess Reema for encouraging the team to embark on this mission and for closely following the team's progress. Alya Al-ghamdi said they wanted to convey an important message to society: “Women can put up with the pain of a disease just like we did with this journey.” Ola Al-Marzouki, spokeswoman for the team, said the journey sent an important message to society. Mona Shahab, who has also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, said she became addicted to climbing mountains. Her previous trip also aimed to raise public awareness about how important it is for women to have medical checkups for the early detection of breast cancer. Hasna'a Mokhtar said she learned a number of lessons from the trip and is immensely satisfied with the resounding success of their mission. Asma Al-Ghalib, said the trip had a noble goal. Mashael Alhegelan, Raha Moharrak, Noura Bouzo, Samaher Mously, Hatun Madani and others who completed the journey expressed their satisfaction that the message of the journey has reached a wide spectrum of society. __
