During the holidays France Bleu Bourgogne meets up with those who made the news in 2021 every day, and today we are taking a little height … and even a lot of height!
We find Helene Drouin, the youngest French woman to have climbed Everest. This young Dijon girl had precisely 27 years old on May 11, 2021 when she set foot on the top of the world. She is a complete athlete capable of running marathons and doing triathlon events.
She is mostly doctor at Dijon University Hospital. She is currently pursuing a specialization to become an anesthetist and work in intensive care. His feat on the highest peak on the planet was used to raise money for research against Hepatitis B.
France Bleu Bourgogne: Hélène Drouin, you became the youngest French woman at the top of Everest last May. There was a really strong impact on your adventure. We have seen you almost everywhere, on all media. Was it a goal?
Helene drouin : With this adventure, I wanted to show that, on a small scale, we can carry out projects that are very ambitious and succeed since the Covid period was, I think, particularly a source of sadness and pain. But we must continue to keep hope for the future, things are moving forward, science is moving forward and we, as humans, can move forward too.
And you, what do you get from this feat?
Above all, this allows me to set up a big project which is now the source of all my interest. It is to continue to support research against hepatitis B with the creation of a hospital in Lyon specializing in liver diseases. It is a project carried out with Professor Fabien Zoulim, hepatologist. This is my other peak! After the ascent of Everest I appealed for donations from individuals. This raised 7,000 euros. I am now in a second phase with the appeal to major patrons via conferences that I give within companies on personal development.
Today, companies, people call on you as witnesses of what you have lived?
Yes quite. And I’m not just talking about mountaineering, but about growing up and then daring to make your dreams come true.
What are the most common questions? what do people want to know?
They want to know what we’re going through at the top (laughs) At the top, we only stay there for 5 to 10 minutes. We think of the whole descent because it is very long. It lasts two and a half days! And for me, the main thing was ultimately not the top, the highest point. The summit, for me, was this whole adventure which was extremely rich in human terms.
You are a young doctor at the Dijon University Hospital. We are in the midst of an epidemic recovery. How do we go through all this?
Me, I live all this on my individual scale. I am an internal doctor in the middle of my specialization course and what I see is that there are resources that are being deployed. It is because there are things that are organized. It is that there are people who make sure that things move forward and we have to keep that spirit there.
Does this adventure at the top of Everest, your sporting commitment help you keep up in your profession?
Of course, sport, for me, is a part of my physical balance, which is essential for me when I am in situations that are very energy intensive in the hospital, with a lot of patients dying or patients who are in. a state of distress and which strain my energy. It was a huge resourcing for me.
Hélène Drouin, youngest French woman at the top of Everest. We are on the cusp of the new year. What do you want for 2022?
I wish everyone to keep moving forward on projects, even if there are many unforeseeable factors that can block our roads, our dreams, shatter them. We must continue to have projects because that’s what makes us want to live and enjoy life. Let us remember that we are not dead!