Rob Casserley, MD
Rob is currently working in Québec as an Emergency Physician and openly admits that working in French has been his biggest life challenge to date(!).
Having left high school in 1994, he served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the British Army (Royal Engineers) and caught the travel bug (along with malaria most likely!) whilst working with his squadron in Kenya. Although he managed to avoid the bends whilst diving near Mombasa, he almost certainly suffered terrible Acute Mountain Sickness (but continued climbing) whilst topping out on Mount Kenya's Point Lenana. A positive mental attitude and a bit of pluck - although highly commendable - don't always cut the mustard in expedition medicine! It became evident to him during his first few high altitude expeditions that there had to be a better way of training for and sharing knowledge in the skills required to be a good expedition medic and an asset to the expedition team - mountains, ocean, desert or wherever. It's just not cool to pitch up as 'the' expedition medic with only a hospital or office based skill set, 'hoping for the best'. The birth of expedition medicine had been announced and Rob was around soon after its delivery! He is proud of his association with Wild Med Adventures and their pursuit of excellence in expedition medicine.
Rob has climbed and guided all over the world including 8 summits of Everest (including 2 double summits in the same season, in 2007 and 2010), Manaslu and Cho Oyu 3 times. He has summited Denali, Elbrus and Aconcagua multiple times as well as topping out on many smaller peaks in South America and Nepal, including Huayna Potosi, Lobuche East, Island Peak and Ama Dablam. In 2010, he crossed the Atlantic by rowing boat. Having completed 2900miles of nautical rowing, he was still 220miles short of English Harbour, Antigua. Having been "boat-lifted" off his rowing boat to get back to Nepal for an Everest expedition, the realization that 73 days of "2 hours on, 2 hours off" of rowing had come to "nothing" was rather galling. Through our biggest failures we often learn the most about ourselves and this along with other disappointments or injuries only serve to spur him on to achieve more and seek better life experiences.
He is proudly married to MK and over the moon to be the father of Eléonore, born in 2020. He remains to this day slightly dismayed that he is still confused for the 'grandfather' when picking her up from kindergarten!
Happy to help, always approachable. Rob is a true asses to our Wild Med Team and is always ready to help out!