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Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Life and Adventures of Glenn Shaw

Glenn Shaw is, in most respects, an ordinary man, with a compulsion to do extraordinary things that most people would love to do or wish they had the opportunity to do.
At the age of 18, Glenn embarked upon a career within the world of Banking and Financial Services, which has led him to his current role of Compliance Auditor, for an international life assurance and investment house.
For Glenn this career path was never enough and so it was at the age of 26 he decided to try his hand at adventurer travel and expeditions, which he is still very much involved with, now at the age of 32 Glenn balances the world of financial services and the world of expeditions. To date Glenn has either taken part in or led successively less conventional trips & expeditions. These have included: Sea Kayaking in Antarctica, Canada and the Middle East along with various other locations here in the UK. He has also been seen trekking in the shadow of Mt Everest. Glenn also enjoys driving Dog Sled Teams in the wilds of the Colorado Mountains in temperatures of well below freezing. You may find Glenn skiing at the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park, Colorado.
However, the detail that makes Glenn rather extra-ordinary is that he has been confined to a wheelchair all of his life. He suffers with a bone condition that is commonly known as 'Brittle Bones' and knows that even a simple fall could cripple him for life or kill him out right. Yet the moment someone tells him, "With your condition, you can't do that" he takes it as a personal challenge to prove to himself - not to anyone else - that he can. Then he does it.
A key part of Glenn's expedition equipment is his specially built wheelchair, which has had numinous rebuilds over the years. This lightweight wheelchair or (Snowmobile) Glenn built from the ground up using parts from Quicki Wheelchairs of America and assistance from his long term supporter Kent Mobility, who are based in Tonbridge, Kent in his native England.
All that Glenn undertakes has to be accomplished in the 'Snowmobile'. Powered by the strength of his arms and his adventurous, cheerfully pragmatic spirit and with his trusted Land Rover by his side.
To the best of Glenn's knowledge he is the only person with 'Brittle Bones' to have taken his wheelchair 'Snowmobile' to the cold of Antarctica and to the Himalayas, along with kayaking in Canada, and the Middle East and skiing and driving sled dog teams in Colorado.
Glenn is always planning to undertake journeys that many of us would never undertake even though we may have always dreamed of it. His book, "Just Another Mountain" is as much about that mountain which makes every day for Glenn a challenge to be relished and enjoyed as about his expeditions including his last Everest near miss. Yes, near miss, he fell off the mountain!!!
In the meantime, Glenn devotes his time to two other organizations both of which call upon his ever-increasing schedule; these are as a team member, Brunel Universities Research & Development - Design for Life Adventure Designs who are based in Surrey, their aims and objectives are to develop, design & test new kayaking & canoeing equipment, clothing and safety equipment for fellow disabled adventurers to enable them to enjoy the wonders of our planet.
Glenn's other focus for attention is the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) where he can be found attending social events. He is a resident guest panelist, speaker and adviser speaking about disabled expeditions and integrated expeditions for the RGS. Glenn also attends many other RGS events including the Annual Expedition Explorers Forum and the like to raise the profile of inclusive and disabled expeditions. In April 1999 at the RGS, Glenn received with a great deal of honour his fellowship to the Royal Geographical Society which formerly recognizes his expedition and mountaineering career and acknowledge the expertise that he now holds.

23 comments:

  1. glenn knew his name wonder if he ever took some herb relaxation

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  2. willpower has no boundries, that's for sure!

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  3. Glenn really sounds like he knows what he's talking about!

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  4. My uncle was part of RGS...I never really did know what that organization did.

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  5. Glenn sounds like he has the life.

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  6. Wow, you wrote that yourself? thats really good!

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  7. Following for more, always in the mood for a good short story!

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  8. Just started following your intresting blog, mate.
    It was this story who made me do it, thanks for a great read, and I hope to see alot more from you.

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  9. that's a great story! I hope to see lots more in the future

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  10. Glen sounds like a fucking hero. following also, to the max.

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  11. Sort of reminds me of Unbreakable. Good story.

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  12. great story, i hope there is going to be more

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  13. i also enjoy writing essays and whatnot. enjoyed the read man. keep it up. following

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  14. my friend, let me tell you something. This Glen character is the essence of perfection! I need to know more of his life, his dreams, his ambitions and goals!

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