Barbara Hillary (June 12, 1931 – November 23, 2019)[1][2] was an American Arctic explorer, nurse, publisher, adventurer and inspirational speaker.
[5] Hillary was born on June 12, 1931, in New York City in an area now known as the Lincoln Square neighborhood (formerly San Juan Hill, Manhattan).
[7] She attended the New School in New York City where she majored in gerontology, earning both her Bachelor of Arts and master's degrees.
[8] Despite the illness, she still managed to travel to Mongolia to raise awareness of the effects of climate change on societies there.
[9] After visiting the poles, Hillary took interest in the effects of climate change on the polar ice caps and the world beyond and took to public lecturing on the topic.
[5] After retiring from nursing, Hillary sought adventure dog-sledding in Quebec and photographing polar bears in Manitoba.
[8] To prepare for her journey she took cross-country ski lessons, hired a personal trainer and worked out with weights.