Walking with the Wounded - Arctic Training
The adventurous Walking with the Wounded team have just returned from their first cold weather training session to Svalbard, deep inside the arctic circle. Pace prosthetist and below the knee amputee, Jamie Gillespie, joined the team as they took to snow for the first time in preparation for their training for an unsupported walk to the North Pole during early 2011.
During the trip, each person had an introduction to the challenging conditions they will face, as they skied with sledges for up to 11 hours each day and set up camp each night. Skiing along-side the injured team members allowed Jamie to fully understand the challenges faced by the three below the knee amputee members of the team.
On the second day, of the three day training, discomfort was experienced by some from their current prostheses. When skiing for a minimum of 2 hours between breaks towing a sledge containing their food and equipment, each person and their prosthesis were put through their paces and any areas for improvement soon became clear. 
As Jamie explained “Although the guys are comfortable at home in their prostheses during day to day activities, it’s obvious a more specialised design is essential to give them the best chance of success during this extremely difficult challenge”.
Work will soon begin by the Pace Rehabilitation team to provide more advanced designs for the amputees who are selected for the North Pole expedition.
A BBC news production team and a second TV production company travelled to Svalbard, where they had the opportunity to capture progress and also report candid interviews from the group. To see BBC news footage click HERE.