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Cathy O'Dowd (born 1968) is a South African rock climber, mountaineer, author and motivational speaker. She was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest from both the south and the north sides on 25 May 1996 and 29 May 1999, respectively. O’Dowd grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and attended St. Andrew's School for Girls. She has climbed since her university days. When she was 21, she took part in her first mountain expedition, to the Ruwenzori in Central Africa.