Your WEM Fortnightly Round-Up

Mark Hannaford joins global exploration leaders in October

WEM founder Mark Hannaford has joined the speaker line-up for The Explorers Club’s Global Exploration Summit in Coimbra, Portugal. Taking place this October, GLEX 2026 will unite leading explorers, scientists and storytellers to share bold ideas and help shape the future of exploration across land, oceans and space.

How do you treat a shoulder dislocation when the patient cannot remove their spacesuit?

A case report published in February 2026 describes the successful reduction of an anterior shoulder dislocation during emergency egress training for the Polaris Dawn mission. The medical team treated the crew member without fully removing or damaging the customised SpaceX suit and without using sedation.

The case raises important questions about medical access, suit design, crew training and injury management during missions where diagnostics and evacuation may be limited.

WEM Faculty Cat Burford launches £40k in 40 days challenge for Girls’ Trip film

WEM Faculty member Cat Burford and the Girls’ Trip team are aiming to raise £40,000 in 40 days to produce a film documenting their all-woman ski traverse of North-West Svalbard. The campaign is all about big reach and small donations, so you can help by contributing the cost of a coffee or simply sharing their story with your community.

What does medical preparedness look like aboard an icebreaker in the Arctic Ocean?

A new update from the Canada–Sweden Arctic Ocean 2026 expedition explores how the team aboard Oden manages risks including extreme cold, slippery decks, moving ice, remote fieldwork and polar bear encounters.

From pre-departure health screening and rapid medical assessment to survival equipment, weather monitoring, sleep and team wellbeing, it offers a fascinating look at the planning that supports safe polar research.