A source of ceaseless inspiration, captivating landscapes and raw adventure. “The land of many waters”: Guyana.
Over the past two years, we four medical students have relentlessly dedicated all of our passionate efforts (and sparse free time) towards undertaking an ambitious research expedition in the dense jungle region of this small country on the Caribbean coast of South America. And after all that time, we are now less than one month away from the day we depart!
So why are we going? What is it we’ll be doing? Well, our aim is to assess the effects of Westernisation- adopting our western diet and way of life – on the indigenous Amerindian population of Guyana. Westernisation is far from a novel development in the world’s indigenous peoples. The tribes of Nauru, the American Pima Indians and many others have all paid the price for adapting to our diet and lifestyle: a massive increase in diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. And we fear that without a prompt intervention, the same fate could happen to the Guyanese Amerindians: from increased access to cities as a result of rainforest logging or from increasingly popular emigration from the jungles, more and more of this subpopulation is embracing Westernisation.
This is where our team comes in. Forging a new partnership with the University of Guyana and our own, the University of Aberdeen, this expedition which begins on the 27th October will be a pilot project- the first of a longstanding investigation with what we hope will be a fantastic legacy. When boots touch the ground, we four will assess blood pressure, BMI, hip-waist ratio, peak flow and simply have a chat with consenting Amerindians in increasingly remote villages along the Rupununi and RewaRivers, deep in the Interior. At the same time, our University of Guyana counterparts will be doing the same with both Amerindian and non-Amerindian participants in Guyana’s westernised capital city, Georgetown.
As well as increasing awareness on the dangers of Westernisation when we are amongst Amerindian communities, the immediate findings of this research will be presented to the Guyanese Ministries of Amerindian Affairs and Ministry of Health, wasting no time in executing the protection of the health of Guyanese Amerindians.
“But we are not just researchers.”
We are travel-hungry adventurers and prospective Expedition Doctors studying at the University of Aberdeen. Allow me to introduce you to the team. John, the Expedition Leader, has played a huge part in taking this project from a wandering idea to a fantastic reality, getting involved in all aspects of planning an expedition. Genevieve, our Secretary, possesses the most immense ofwork ethics; her organisation and commitment has ensured that even in our bleakest days of planning, we have always persevered together. Will, our head of media, constantly camera-in-hand, will be providing plentiful film footage and photography of the adventure, capturing forever the moments that will make this trip. And then there’s myself, the treasurer and (strictly amateur!) writer for the voyage. Over the years of preparation, we have become a very close team, although I dare say this closeness will be somewhat tested after a few weeks in the jungle!
Now, we’d best talk about kit. You can imagine that a journey of this nature would be, for our mere team of four, rather daunting. Working tirelessly in such a difficult environment of strong sun, over 40oC heat, 100% humidity and malaria-carrying mosquitoes requires the kind of equipment that must offer no less than full confidence and trust. Which is why we are absolutely overjoyed to have the backing of Craghoppers.In its 50 year history, this company has developed clothing tested vigorously around the world, equipping and protecting all manner of adventurersfor decades. The legacy of quality and the well-deserved acclaimed reputation of the Craghoppers brand makes it an honour and a privilege for our humble student-led expedition to join this exciting tapestry of expedition and adventure in all continents and climes.As an individual;
“Craghoppers clothing has never disappointed me in the past, and I am confident this record will continue in the jungles of Guyana.”
Of course, a research expedition such as ours must rely solely on grants, donations, sponsorship and just general generosity. Therefore wecertainly intend to keep our supporters and well-wishers abreast of what we are up to, before, during and after the expedition. We’ve already received awards from the Scientific Exploration Society, the Lord Mayor’s Trust, Nomad Health and the Maynard’s Trust. And if you like the sound of what we’re up to, you’ll get loads more Guyana-obsessed info and updates on our Facebook, Twitter and Crowdfunding pages, as well as our own expedition website.
For us, this will be an unforgettable experience and our first ever taste of true far-flung adventure. But for those at the heart of all of this, the Amerindian people of Guyana, it will mean so much more.