Charlie’s Next Challenge Charlie

Charlie’s Next Challenge

Charlie Wittmack sold his car, his house and put his life on hold in order to pursue a 10,000 mile journey from the English Channel to the top of Mount Everest. Wittmack conceived this idea, calling it the World Tri, when he was just a teenager and spent 15 years training to complete it. But no training could prepare him for what Charlie saw in Nepal -- that pregnancy, birth and young life can be very dangerous when health services are out of reach.

Only 5,393 people have climbed Mt. Everest -- ever. But every year in Nepal, 37,000 newborns and young children die from largely preventable causes. Charlie wants to connect public interest in his adventures to his passion for making lifesaving health care available to mothers and children in Nepal, especially when they live beyond a doctor’s reach.

ESPN has already featured Charlie on
“Outside the Lines” and a new micro site featuring video footage from his world triathlon. He hopes to inspire enough donations to train 1,000 frontline health workers who can provide health and nutrition counseling, antibiotics, and other basic care to mothers and children in hard-to reach communities in Nepal. When one local woman is trained to fulfill this role for about $300, she can reach more than 100 mothers and children with lifesaving care.

"Charlie is an inspiration in many ways," said Mary Beth Powers, who leads Save the Children’s See Where the Good Goes newborn and child survival campaign. "But he'll be the first to tell you, you don't have to be a world-class athlete to be a champion for children. Every person who decides to take action to save children's lives is a true hero."

Our campaign is excited to help Charlie meet his next big challenge -- bringing lifesaving care to mothers and children in Nepal. Learn more about Charlie and how you can support his