Climbing for two weeks in Ecuador’s Andes Mountains, a trio of staff from Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem reached the top of Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world.
Among them were orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vladimir Goldman; his wife, Svetlana, a nurse in Hadassah’s Oncology Day Center; and Kirill Gruzovsky, transplant coordinator.
At 5,897 meters (19,347 feet), they took a photo displaying both the Hadassah flag and the Israeli flag. Neither the cold temperatures, the steam that was emerging from the volcano, nor the strong smell of sulfur deterred them. As they relate, the Hadassah spirit of determination, courage and keen focus on a goal accompanied them all the way.