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CNN Live Saturday

Five American Women Set Their Sights on Top of Mount Everest

Aired May 11, 2002 - 12:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: Few will ever try it and even fewer will reach the top, but five American women, who are no strangers to challenges, are attempting to climb the world's tallest mountain. The team's captain described their philosophy in taking on Mount Everest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALISON LEVINE, CAPTAIN, TEAM NO BOUNDARIES: We just really wanted to send a very strong message about stepping outside of your boundaries, pushing your limits and just getting out of your comfort zone, not to mention getting off the couch.

And we thought that a team of five American women, it was just a great time to show that the American spirit is strong, the power of women is strong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: These women know they're up against a tough challenge, but they're more than willing to take a chance. Here's CNN's "Sports Illustrated's" Laura Okmin with more on Team No Boundaries.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAURA OKMIN, CNNSI CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is the world's highest point, a 29,000-foot peak called Mount Everest, the most difficult yet unexplainably tantalizing obstacle for hundreds of climbers every year. But for five women who are just beginning their ascent, the hardest part is already behind them.

LEVINE: It's nice to look at everyone and know that everybody's a fighter, you know, and everybody's had a struggle. And so that is definitely I think something that helps bring our team together.

OKMIN: Team No Boundaries is made up of five women ranging in age from 34 to 58. But there's a common bond beyond their love of climbing. From a heart patient to a cancer survivor, each woman has overcome physical and mental adversity. And now there's another goal: To become the first American all-women team to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To me, it just shows that these women are not only incredibly physically strong, but mentally strong too. To have been able to overcome each of their whatever it was, physical hardships, that's -- in a lot of ways, that's harder than climbing a mountain.

OKMIN: Six years ago, 36-year-old Alison Levine was going through her second heart surgery. Eighteen months after leaving the hospital, Levine started climbing. In the four years since, she has reached the highest point in every continent, with the exception of one.

LEVINE: I think that, you know, you learn from things like that and maybe it makes you a little bit, you know, like it gives you some mental toughness too, because it's not just the physical toughness that you need in the mountains. You need to be pretty mentally tough too.

You go out there and you get to really push yourself and you get to figure out that everything you need to survive can be carried on your back, and that's kind of, you know, an empowering feeling for people.

OKMIN: And then there's Midge Cross, a 58-year-old grandmother who also happens to be a breast cancer survivor and a diabetic.

MIDGE CROSS, TEAM NO BOUNDARIES: Five years ago, I had a trip to Nepal planned. And my husband and I were actually packing to go. We were not going to climb Everest; we were climbing several smaller peaks. But I discovered right then that I had breast cancer, and my response to my doctor was, wait a minute, you don't understand, I don't have time for this. I'm going to Nepal.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Basically, that last push is going to be very difficult, and you need to be focused, physically of course, and mentally. And I think that through the struggles that we've all been through in life that that is really going to help us, help us get that mental drive to struggle to get to the top.

OKMIN: Only 10 percent of first-time climbers reach the top, but for this team of women the definition of success isn't reaching the summit, it's the journey.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our goal is not necessarily the summit. And if we make it to the summit, that's great. We're going to be really excited about that. I mean, that's the icing on the cake. And if one of us makes it, we're going to consider that team success. But our goal really was to just get out there and send a really strong message about team work, tenacity, the power of the American spirit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MESERVE: That was CNN "Sports Illustrated's" Laura Okmin reporting.

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