Sofia Flaten (pictured above) will be leading students on a trip to Mount Everest base camp in May 2020. Until then, participants will fundraise for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation through the Choose a Challenge program (Courtesy of Sofia Flaten).
Psychology major sophomore Sofia Flaten intends to use her passion for adventure and charity work to help children in their fight against cancer. In May 2020, Flaten plans to take students to Mount Everest base camp made possible because of the organization Choose a Challenge.
Choose a Challenge takes college students and sends them around the world to both gain insight into other cultures and to perform charitable work for a not-for-profit organization. Flaten traveled to Africa through this organization last year.
“I actually got involved with [Choose a Challenge] last year, last September, when there was an interest meeting for a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa to raise money for the charity WaterAid,” Flaten said.
She described the surreal experience she had while in Africa, including the breathtaking views on the top of the mountain and the incredible friendships she formed.
“Beneath it all is memories to last a lifetime, irreplaceable friendships and invaluable life lessons. My time on the mountain was the most incredible experience of my life … I felt unstoppable, like the world was in the palms of my hands,” Flaten said. “The views seemed like those from a dream … This trip taught me to not focus on the future, but to be proud of what you have already accomplished.”
After this experience, she chose to start her own trip through Choose a Challenge. To do so, she had to apply through the organization to become a Campus Leader.
“[I] got the position [as Campus Leader] and [Choose a Challenge gives] you a choice of what charity you want to fundraise for and where you want to go,” Flaten said. She was interested in going to Mount Everest base camp and chose the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation as her charity.
This charity works to help children fighting cancer, the children’s families and to support cancer research. In May 2020, Flaten says students will embark on an incredible 15-day trip through the Himalayas where they will be raising money for this charity.
“This 11-day hike (15-day trip) will take you through the Nepali Himalaya, reaching an altitude of 18,200 feet above sea level,” Flaten said. “Ninety-seven cents of every dollar [raised for charity] go toward financially supporting families of children with cancer, increasing awareness and funding research.”
The sign-up for this trip ends in November. Flaten advised that, despite the later deadline, students interested in this opportunity may want to sign-up earlier to begin fundraising.
“The more people that I get on my team to travel to Everest base camp, the more money we can raise for this charity,” Flaten said. “The way that the trip works is [that each person fundraises] $5,500 and half of that goes directly to the charity and the other half goes to funding your trip.”
Students interested in this trip will be able to form friendships with other students and go on an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime adventure.