Lee den Hond conquers Everest to make a difference

On 18 May 2013, weeks of gruelling climbing culminated in events company owner Lee den Hond reaching 8848 metres above sea level at the summit of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain. Den Hond is the third South African woman to do so. Den Hond decided to climb for Carte Blanche's Making a Difference campaign in order to give back to the Schaumburg community, after meeting a 13-year-old boy taking care of his eight-year-old sister.

Den Hond's otherwise all-male team, the Canadian Peak Freaks 14, all made it to the top of the mountain. Before embarking on this cause, Den Hond appealed to the nation to participate in this climb with her. By the time she left for the climb, R400,000 was raised for the Carte Blanche Making a Difference campaign.

Making dreams a reality

"Lee is a long-standing colleague of Bestmed and when she approached us for a donation, we were so motivated by her determination and passion, that we could not turn a blind eye. In line with our strategic pillars of wellness and social responsibility, we believe in her and her cause, and we knew that she would reach the summit of Mount Everest. We are happy to have contributed to make the summit possible and her dream of assisting the child-headed homes become a reality," says Alan Fritz, Bestmed's executive head of Marketing and Distribution.

Fritz says that this achievement goes well beyond endurance: "Lee is strength personified. She takes health, wellness and fitness seriously and as she had only climbed Kilimanjaro she had to train hard. She practised at the Waterfall Boven in Mpumalanga to prepare for this. These factors made it possible for her to climb and reach the peak of Mount Everest. We'd like to congratulate Lee for this remarkable triumph," concludes Fritz.