In 1995, Cathy O'Dowd came across an advertisement for the first ever South African Everest Expedition. Out of 200 women who applied for a spot on the team, O'Dowd was only woman accepted. This lucky chance put her in a position to make history.
Led by Ian Woodall, her team approached from the south and followed Sir Edmond Hillary's route On May 25, 1996, O'Dowd made it to the summit of Mount Everest. Unfortunately, they had lost British teammate Bruce Herrod.
In 1998, O'Dowd attempted to climb the via the North route. Because she chose to stop and help a dying American climber from another team, O'Dowd was unable to reach the summit. The following year, however, she was successful and in 1999 Cathy O'Dowd became the first woman to reach Mount Everest's summit from both the North and South routes.
O'Dowd has written Everest: Free to Decide, a book about her experiences on the mountain. She also owns her own company called Free to Decide, and travels around the world as a public speaker.
