Erik Ranschaert gears up to tackle Mount Kenya

Informatics and AI expert Prof. Erik Ranschaert, PhD, is preparing for one of his toughest assignments ever: to climb Africa’s second highest mountain. He will be part of the support team, working as the medical doctor on a charity expedition for which his wife, Annelies, is an organizer.

Fit and ready for action: in advance of their trip to Kenya, Erik Ranschaert and his wife Annelies embark on a training hike in the Alps.

Ranschaert, who is a past president of the European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics and a longstanding editorial advisor on AuntMinnieEurope.com, has signed up for Kili for Kids, a project organized by Lions Club International to raise funds for renovating Mwereni School for visually impaired children.

"Mount Kenya's over 5000 m high, so we're trying to upscale our VO2max," he said. "The preparation is pretty demanding -- and we also need to invest in supplementary hiking material. It's very interesting to learn about the climate on the mountain; I never suspected that during the night it could be freezing there in late August!"

Ranschaert's wife, Annelies Van de Poel, is a key member of the fundraising effort, being the Belgian delegate for the five-day hike. There is a total of 17 female Lions representatives from different countries.

For further information and to make a donation, you can visit gofundme.com.