On December 19, Romain Vandendorpe, 34 years old, spent more than 2h30 in
a tray filled with ice cubes. This physiotherapist-osteopath from the north of France has
chose to go beyond its limits to fight pediatric cancers.
It took 1.5 tons of ice to cover him up to his neck. After two years...
of intensive preparation, Romain Vandendorpe spent 2 hours and 35 minutes in a tank full of
ice cubes at -18 degrees, breaking the previous world record of 1 hour and 53 minutes.
It was a tragedy that started it all. A health professional, this father of three
works as a physiotherapist-osteopath and hypnotherapist in the Lille area.
In the spring of 2018, Romain Vandendorpe was called to the bedside of Augustine, a little
4-year-old girl with an aggressive brain stem tumor. She passed away
unfortunately two days later.
Upset, the caregiver thinks about how he can help research against
pediatric cancers. The idea of using cold came to him by chance, after a bath in water
of his backyard hot tub. He discovers that the cold gives him a deep relaxation,
and seeks to understand its effects on the human body.
Promising neuro-cognitive techniques
Romain Vandendorpe then launched the "Neuro Ice Record" project, with a double objective:
break the world record for ice immersion and explore how the cold can
to advance medical knowledge. He trains progressively by exposing himself
to the cold for longer and longer periods of time, in order to push the limits of the human body
in a hostile environment. In particular, the caregiver learns to control his or her breathing in order to
to lower his heart rate during heat stress. He is now convinced
that the neuro-cognitive techniques he uses to combat the cold could be
used in the treatment of certain diseases, including cancer.
Romain's fight has already raised 218,000 euros for the association "Wonder
Augustine," created in 2018 to raise awareness of the cancer that affected the little girl and
support research projects.