Dubai cancer survivor climbs Himalayan mountains

Dubai - Cancer did not stop this expat from climbing the tallest peaks in the world.

An adrenaline junkie in Dubai has shared tales of climbing the Himalayan mountains in sub-zero temperatures, crossing the Sahara desert on foot and conquering the Welsh mountains.
Welsh expat, Tom Otton, took on these adventurous missions to constantly challenge his mind and body.
However, the road to success was rather bumpy for Otton, who is a cancer survivor. He was an international rugby player and a few days after playing for the UAE team in 2012, he broke his knee and tore most of his ligaments. And he never played professionally again after that day.
Otton shared his inspiring story to the audience at TEDx Amity University Dubai on April 10. He said: "It's the excuses you are making that will be the regrets you'll have at the end of your life and because of my journey I have an algorithm in life and I've put that in words for you - you must have the courage to seek adventure in life and you must live it in your own terms. What stands out for me is the word adventure that's where my passion comes from.
"I started running as part of my rehab that progressed into long distance running, which I was told was not good for my knee but it all sounded like excuses to me and I didn't want those excuses to turn into regrets later in life.
"Two months after my first marathon, I took on 87km and went on to the Welsh mountains. It took me 17 hours to get through that. Not long after, I signed up for what is called the toughest foot race on Earth - 250km across the Sahara Desert. It's six marathons in five days and you don't shower for eight days."
Otton finished the race in the Sahara desert, but he wanted to challenge himself further in sub-zero temperatures, leading him to the Himalayan mountains.
He climbed 6045m in -18 degrees and when he reached the top, he said he knew "what it felt like to be on top of the world".
Sarwat@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
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