Meet Karolina – DeafBlind Everest climber

My name is Karolina Pakenaite, also known as Caroline. And I am on a mission to become a first DeafBlind person to summit Mt. Everest in 2026! I’m incredibly grateful to TCA for sponsoring me and providing access to climbing centres, which are essential for my training and staying active on this journey.

My condition

I have Usher syndrome, a rare degenerative genetic condition that affects sight, hearing and sometime balance. I was born hard of hearing with perfect sight, but started to be clumsy in the late teens as I started to loose my peripheral sight. Now, with very narrow tunnel vision, I’m registered as blind.

The Challenge

Back in May 2023, I went on an Everest Base Camp trek. I always had fantasies of summiting Everest, so this trek was exciting! Meeting people on their way to the summit sparked a “what if” moment in me. I discovered that no DeafBlind person had ever summited Everest, and I wanted to change that.

Therefore, I told myself that if I were to get an opportunity, I should start working now, so that I could still see Everest with my useful sight. Find out more about DeafBlind Everest Project.

It has been a year since, and I feel so happy to see how things has progressed. Click the links to see Instagram pics:

• BathHalf, October 2023 (✓)
• Winter Skills course in Scotland, March 2024 (✓)
• London Marathon, April 2024 (✓)
• UK’s 3 Peaks in 24 Hours Challenge, June 2024 (✓)

These challenges have allowed me to build a strong rapport with my team and explore different techniques to be the most efficient DeafBlind climber I can be. For example, we explored on utilising haptic signs for communication in extreme conditions with my deafblindness or using ropes for navigation.

Seeking funding

Currently, I am seeking funding for my 6,476m summit (Mera Peak) in Nepal for November 2024.

Then, I will continue to enhance my skills and knowledge, reflecting on my experiences on each mountain before advancing to taller ones, with these major upcoming milestones:

• Mt Kenya in January 2025
• Scotland Ultramarathon, May 2025
• Himlung Himal in October 2025 (7126m summit)
• Everest Summit in April 2026

These milestones were planned with the guidance of experienced mountaineers who have summited Everest themselves, including Sundeep Dhillon (who was the youngest person to reach 7 peaks), Erik Weiheimer (first blind person to summit Everest), and Scott & Shayna (first deaf couple to summit Everest). This entire journey is being filmed and may become a documentary, or at the very least, shared through my social media.

Raising awareness

This mission is more than just a personal achievement; it’s an opportunity to raise awareness and foster a better understanding of deafblindness. By sharing my journey, I aim to inspire and educate others about hidden disabilities and the resilience of the human spirit.

Follow for more updates:

Instagram: @DeafBlindEverestProject
YouTube: @DeafBlindEverestProject

Support Karolina

You can donate to Karolina via two options: ttps://www.gofundme.com/f/deafblind-everest-project, or https://localgiving.org/fundraising/Karolina3Peaks (where gift aid could be applied)