Four Friends Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to Help #cureblindness

Four friends: Deepak Sobti, Vipin Nambiar, Neel Shah and Anirudh Ravunniarath (#TeamKili), wanted to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania and raise awareness and funds for a cause that would make an impact. Dr. Sobti, an Ophthalmologist at Kleiman | Evangelista Eye Center in Arlington, Texas, proposed the idea to dedicate their climb to HCP, because of the impactful experience he had as a young ophthalmologist and volunteer at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TIO).

The group took the eight day Lemosho Route up the mountain, which is 6 days up and 2 days down. Team Kili, minus one who suffered a serious case of altitude sickness in the early morning of the last day, made it to the top August 10th. When asked what kept the team going, Sobti said, “the support from friends and family kept me motivated.”

According to their fundraising page, the group hoped to raise awareness with friends, family, and their community with a fundraising goal of $19,341 ($1 per foot of elevation climbed). The group exceeded their expectations and raised $21,288 over the course of five weeks leading up to their climb August 2-15 through peer-to-peer crowdsource fundraising methods.

This amazing group was able to raise money through an online, social media driven fundraiser, and through their efforts, more than 800 people will receive sight restoring surgeries. For information and support in starting your own online fundraiser email HCP Communications Manager Angelia Rorison at [email protected].