Dear friends,  
 
I am fundraising for my friend Monika to, finally, make her dreams of climbing the big Himalayas come true. She is an inspiring, hard working, compassionate and funny person and I am proud to call her my friend. She went through a lot of struggles in life but she conquered them one by one, always positive and happy, inspiring others to be positive regardless of their circumstances and above all to follow their dreams no matter how small or big. We need more people like her in the world.  
 
Her journey symbolises climbing throughout life from moments of despair to reaching the heavenly heights through hard work and perseverance, sweat, blood and tears. Through her efforts, Monika is trying to demonstrate that impossible doesn’t exist if we have a goal in mind. She wants to inspire people to become heroes in their own lives and overcome whatever hardship they are enduring or obstacles they are facing. 
 
I invite you to read her touching story, and support her in this incredible journey. 

Monika’s story: 
 
Alone and speaking little English, Monika arrived in Canada with a hundred dollars in her pocket and her imagination rich with possibilities. In Canada, a figurative mountain stood before Monika, on which she one day hoped to stand and savor the view of a life hard won. 
 
But on the journey of self-discovery, no one ever expects a near-death experience to define who they are or who they want to be. Only one year into her new life in Canada, Monika was in a near fatal car crash that left her with severe injuries and a broken neck. She had to undergo a life-threatening neck surgery that involved removing part of her hip bone and implanting it in her neck along with a titanium plate bolted by screws to her spine. 
 
Monika was left with post-traumatic stress disorder, clinical depression and chronic pain, pain, which persists to this day. The recovery process seemed never-ending, and it was years before some normality returned to her life and she was able to feel the tinges of hope returning to her body and mind. 
But eight years after that life-changing event, and just as she was beginning to feel like the most painful, difficult and traumatic experience of her life was behind her, Monika was in a head-on collision with a pick-up truck — whose driver had blacked out behind the wheel and careened directly into Monika’s car. 
Monika was badly injured, and she would undergo yet another painful, demoralizing and traumatic recovery over the course of two years. She was in her 3rd year of University at the time which abruptly came to a halt. 
 
In a moment of physical and mental despair, Monika asked herself a life-changing question: “Where is the complete opposite of where I am right now?” 
 
Almost instinctually and without thinking, she answered, “On top of Mt. Everest.”

As quickly as she had lost control of her life, Monika decided to regain it by conquering the ultimate objective: standing on top of the world. But mountains aren’t climbed by willpower alone, and she knew she would need to test herself in ways she never had. To temper her frayed body, mind and spirit, Monika decided to go through an intense training and regain her mental and physical strength. After all, if she succeeded in her quest of standing on top of Mt. Everest, nothing could ever be unattainable again. 

Her journey began with months of physiotherapy, followed by many more of excruciating personal training, a story that could be written in blood, sweat and tears. But her determination was starting to show, and for the first time in 9 years (her knee was badly injured in her first accident and awaited replacement as per doctors’ advice), Monika was able to run to the astonishment of her doctors. 

During this time, Monika’s life was also starting to turn around. Mt. Everest, the pinnacle of her willpower and standing tall in her dreams, watched as she relished in the foothills below and challenged herself in the practical ways of life. Monika shared her survival story with others, where her unusual challenges, goals and resolve were an inspiration to the people around her. 
 
When 2020, a year of the world pandemic, happened, it pushed Monika out of her comfort zone and forced her to re-evaluate her life. She
lost her prized job, and with it, her newfound sense of purpose. She remembered these feelings all too well, but she also remembered what it felt like to stand up to those feelings, as she had done so many times in the past. Coming into view in her mind’s eye and more terrific than ever, there it was again — the Himalayan mountains that once saved Monika from her self-pity and inspired her to reach further and stand taller than her body could bear. She knew that she couldn’t turn away from it any longer. The vision of climbing the Himalayas changed Monika’s life from a distance, and now, it was time for them to meet face to face. 
 
But Monika’s is a towering dream, monumental for body and mind. If she succeeds, she will be one of few females to reach the top. 

Of course, one doesn’t simply climb above the clouds! They must first gain experience, learn to acclimatise and challenge themselves at the heights of the world. In October 2021, Monika will take her first trip to Nepal, where she will trek to the Everest Base Camp at over 5300 meters above sea level. After acclimatising, Monika will make a summit attempt on Island Peak, just a few kilometres away from Everest and standing at 6000 meters high. 
 
With such a dramatic story behind her goals, she dreams of telling it all through a real-life documentary that serves to transcend life’s purpose, erase boundaries and unite humanity in the challenge of our shared limitations.  
 
Monika’s journey will be captured by an aspiring film maker and will feature incredible footage mingling customs and dreams from every corner of the world as they gather with a single purpose — to stand on top of it!  

SUMMARY: 
Everyone has their own mountain to climb on daily basis and Monika’s story is an example how everyone, who is going through their own struggles and traumas can, too, become their own heroes. 
 
Please help get the word out, by sharing this powerful story with you family and friends including to your social media, and Facebook Timeline. Let’s support Monika’s dreams of reaching beyond the clouds and way beyond target! Let's do the impossible. This dream is bound to happen! 
 
Thank you all for taking the time to read this inspiring story and for all donations that will cover the expenses for the upcoming Himalayan trip. 
We don't have much time, so all your help is deeply appreciated!