Scott Hamilton Saturday, May 29 Katmandu, Nepal

The E-3 team spent the morning at the residence of Hon. Ralph Frank, US Ambassador to Nepal, who hosted a private reception for all the members of the E-3 team. The E-3 project was pleased to present Ambassador Frank with OLYMPUS digital microscopes for donation to medical institutions in Katmandu and in Khunde Village in the Solu Khumbu region. Expedition leader Scott Hamilton presented the Ambassador with a special Certificate of Appreciation from The Explorers Club, as thanks for the outstanding assistance the US Embassy in Nepal has rendered to the Everest Extreme Expedition.

Members are now in their final countdown mode for departure from Katmandu. The past day has been spent sorting expedition gear, caring for our final medical patients, and preparing expedition equipment for departure from Nepal. We depart for the at 10:30 tomorrow morning to begin the 26 hour flight back to the USA.

By every measure the E-3 Project has been a tremendous success. The team succeeded in creating one of the largest comprehensive data sets regarding circulatory function at high altitude that exists in the world. As the data is further analyzed it is expected to provide valuable insights that will be useful to future space missions, including the manned mission to Mars. Aspects of the research may also provide new approaches to the treatment of asthma, emphysema, coronary disease, and the treatment of premature infants. New technologies and medical equipment tested on the E-3 expedition are expected to soon be available to the general public, increasing the quality of health care throughout the USA, and the world. The E-3 educational project, coordinated by Claudia Biondi, has reached over one million students and others via the Internet, the OLYMPUS educational initiative, and interviews conducted live from Mount Everest on public radio, and national television.

As the team heads back home we would like to take a moment to sincerely thank all the individuals who participated in making the E-3 project such a success, and the public spirited corporations whose financial support, and contributions of equipment made the project possible. Without their help the project could not have happened. We sincerely thank you.

The E-3 Team
Scott Hamilton - Expedition Leader
Dr. Chris Macedonia - Director of Medical Research
Dr. Ken Kamler - Chief High Altitude Physician
Dr. Javier Davila - Chief Medical Researcher
Dan Biondi - Corporate Liaison and Digital Imagery Specialist
Jennifer Kreshak - Medical Researcher
Nathaniel Merriam - Technology and Communications Specialist Faanya Rose - Research Technician
Dr. Nick Craig - Physician & Surgeon
Dr. Jennifer Grin - Chief Ophthamological Researcher
Jim Bruton - Telemedicine Communications Expert
Robert Hyman - Professional Expedition Photographer
Rick Satava - Base Camp Manager
Grant Goldin - Chief Psychometric Researcher
Jim Williams - Climbing Team Leader