HIV positive to scale Mt. Everest with a message

Kathmandu, Apr. 7:

Most of the HIV/AIDS victims die within a few years of infection of the disease due to hopelessness fear and social stigma.

To save them from the social stigma, many of the infected hide the fact that they are living with the HIV infection.

Braving all the hopelessness, fear and stigma accompanied with the disease, Gopal Shrestha, 56, a person living with HIV, has set a goal to climb Mt. Everest.

The former national football player is living with HIV for the last two and a half decades. He is climbing the world’s highest peak under ‘Step up Campaign: Second Stage’ to brave the social discrimination related to HIV/AIDS.

“I want to prove that the people living with HIV are also capable as other members in the society and earn respect in the part of them in the society,” said Shrestha at a press meet organised to announce his campaign to ascent the highest peak.

The campaign also aims at raising awareness in the society, community and country about HIV, provide quality education to children affected with HIV, and convey positive message against the discrimination.

Shrestha had tried to ascent Mt. Everest in 2015 but had to abandon it after reaching the Everest Base Camp (EBC) due to the devastating Gorkha Earthquake which killed his five friends at the EBC. He had sustained serious injuries and was rescued by a helicopter.

“But, I have regained hopes and decided to climb the mountain for the second time,” he said.

He will leave for Mt. Everest on 12 April.

Shrestha had already climbed Island Peak (6189 m) in 2014 and Virgin Peak/Khang Karpo (6646 m) in 2016.

“I want to show the world that the people living with HIV can also do the things like other members of society and they can live a long life and contribute to the society in many ways,” said Shrestha.

He said that at times he felt very low and a blanket of despair shadowed his confidence but his wife Mina Kumari Shrestha’s support always motivated him to live the life well and do something unique to make a new identity in the society.

Shrestha said he was infected with HIV through a drug injection and said that he spent his youth as drug abuser.

The Step Up Campaign is collecting the money required to make the Everest mission happen. It takes Rs. 4.35 million for the mission and the Campaign has collected Rs. 3 million.

Fuwa Tenzing Sherpa of Dreamers Destination Treks and Expedition will lead the expedition while Dakipa Sherpa will be Shrestha’s personal guide.

According to the estimates of the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC), there are 31,020 people infected with HIV/AIDS in Nepal. About 21,148 are identified with HIV/AIDS and 16,428 are taking Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).

Likewise, about 36.9 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS globally.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 8 April 2019.