From adversity to adventure

Laura Ross

Communications Officer, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

It's not every day that you hear about someone who, in her owns words, is in training "to become the first black woman to ski solo to the South Pole". So when Genny Brown recently took a day off to spend it at the nature reserve, we wanted to find out more about her mission to Antarctica.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I'm originally from a Dutch Caribbean Island called Aruba. As a little girl I dreamt of being an explorer looking for lost tombs and pyramids from ancient Egypt. I went to university in Canada where I truly fell in love with the great outdoors and long treks in the countryside. I’ve lived in the UK for the last 17 years. 

What's been the inspiration behind your challenge?

In 2016, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease after three horrific years of misdiagnosis. My diagnosis journey really highlighted the difficulties that people with invisible illnesses face. As I began to recover from the worst of my symptoms, I felt like I'd been gifted a second chance at life. I wanted to do everything within my power to make sure no one else would suffer as I had, and decided to raise awareness of this devastating illness. What could be a better opportunity to showcase how, with proper diagnosis and treatment, I could go from extreme fatigue, to pushing my body to its physiological and fitness limits in what has to be one of the world’s most inhospitable environments?

Incredible! How do you get ready for an expedition like that? 

I train six times a week in the gym as well as pulling tyres around. I also do training expeditions in Norway to hone my winter camping and cross-country ski skills. My aim is to do the expedition in the winter of 2026. I'll be skiing approximately 950km for 45 - 60 days in temperatures that can go as low as -50°C.

A recent day off brought you to Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. How important is it for you to get outdoors?

Being out in nature lifts my spirits and calms my mind. Taking in all the wildflowers in bloom and having a lookout hide all to myself to watch the baby terns play on the saltmarsh was epic! Education around our natural world is key, so places like nature reserves are so important. The more we understand our environment, the better equipped we are to be able to protect it for generations to come.

How would you describe your connection with nature?

Growing up, I was taught to respect and protect the natural world and to view it as a part of my being; that we, as a species, can’t thrive in its absence. I don’t think I truly understood that until I was bedridden with Lyme Disease. As I recovered I noticed the huge impact that being outdoors had on my mental health and I’ve prioritised spending time out in nature ever since.

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We'd like to wish Genny lots of luck in her adventure. If you'd like to follow her to the South Pole, you can find her on Instagram, Facebook or her website. Alternatively, you can help her raise money for this important cause here.