Aberdeen mum and personal trainer Lee Donald reached the summit of Mount Everest last week.
It’s an incredible achievement in itself – but even more so when you learn she is afraid of heights.
Lee became the seventh woman from Scotland and second from the Granite City to scale the famous 8,848.86-metre Himalayan peak.
The personal trainer made it home to her family last Friday after the experience of being both physically and mentally “on top of the world”.
A few days on, the 42-year-old sat down with Original 106 to share her experience of climbing the world’s highest mountain.
Standing on Mount Everest summit ‘was incredible’
Speaking to Claire and Pete on the breakfast show this morning, she said: “Without a doubt, it was the hardest thing that I have ever done, but so worthwhile.
“Standing on that summit was incredible.”
When asked about her adventure, she admitted that it felt quite “soul destroying” at times.
“It was a gradual build up. It took us two weeks to get to Everest base camp which was an adventure in itself,” she explained.
Before reaching the summit, Lee endured a two week trek into Everest Base Camp, which led to rotations of climbing up and down Everest, acclimatizing to the lower levels of oxygen.
However, Lee only managed to do one rotation as she became quite poorly.
She explained: “The safest and best way to acclimatize was to go up through the camps and back down again.
“Unfortunately I got quite poorly and missed my second rotation, so it meant my chances of reaching the summit plummeted massively and my risk of high altitude sickness went up massively.
“But I just had to take that chance.”
‘We had to pass a dead body on route’
As the journey was physically enduring, Lee was asked how she kept mentally strong.
To which she said: “By not thinking of the negatives and focusing on what you’re doing.”
She also explained how her group sadly passed a dead body on the route – a sobering reminder of the gruelling task they had signed up for. 
The mum-of-two admitted that she also has a fear of heights, which kicked in once she reached the top.
“The sun had just come up and it was the most terrifying part in it for me as I’m afraid of heights,” she revealed.
Lee has raised more than £6,000 for charity
She described the experience as being “very emotional” and nothing like she anticipated it to be.
Adding: “You have to hook yourself on so you’re not blown off the summit. I was covered in snow and just about able to hold onto flags.
“I got the pictures and got the memories, so I’m absolutely buzzing.”
While completing her journey, she raised money for north-east cancer charity Friends of Anchor, plus awareness of mental health issues.
So far she has raised more than £6,000 for the local charity, with donations still welcome.
Anyone who would like to donate can do so by visiting Lee’s JustGiving page.
Lee also thanked everyone for their continued support.
She said: “I experienced some pretty dark/hard times whilst away but reading all your messages most definitely lifted my spirits and helped me through.
“Am genuinely blown away.”
