Hazleen Ahmad started hiking by chance. Her friend had to drop out of a Mount Kinabalu trek and invited Hazleen to take her place. That hike in 2013 changed her life trajectory in an unexpected – and big – way.
What started it all was a health scare in 2011. While recovering from an operation on her foot, Hazleen developed a pain in her throat that turned out to be something more serious – an abscess.
“I said to my husband at the time, ‘I have a feeling I’m going to die’, and he said I was exaggerating,” Hazleen recalled. “I told him to take me to the emergency room as I couldn’t breathe. I felt something was burning.
“When I got to the ENT specialist in Mount Elizabeth Hospital, he told me to go into a room. He sanitised a knife and within five seconds he cut my throat open,” she added. “There was a build-up of toxins, it was closing up my throat. And if it had burst, it would have gone into my lung, and I would have suffocated.”
This type of infection is known as peritonsillar abscess or quinsy, where pus accumulates in the throat and forms an abscess if not treated.
After this harrowing incident, Hazleen realised she needed to start exercising properly.
“I was around 40, was probably going through perimenopause and I had undiagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),” she said. “I was getting angry a lot and was unhappy with myself. That’s when I started running.”
Hazleen’s first hike was at Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia. “Once I started hiking, I couldn't stop,” she says. (Photo: Hazleen Ahmad)
Hazleen ended up doing 10 half-marathons, so when her friend asked her to go for the hiking trip, she grabbed the opportunity. Although she didn’t do that well on the climb as she had only trained for two weeks – and wasn’t prepared for the high altitude – she got hooked.
The euphoria she got when she climbed Mount Kinabalu was medicine for everything, said Hazleen. But it wasn’t just the activity that impressed her, it was also the company.
“Hiking saved my life,” the 53-year-old told CNA Women. “Once I started hiking, I couldn’t stop. But it’s not just hiking alone, you have to do it with a team, with women who support each other.”
Hazleen started the Amazing Trekkers Club (ATC) in 2015 and created a 10-year business plan for her outdoor adventure company.
Hazleen (third from left) started Amazing Trekkers Club in 2015. In this photo, she is with fellow female hikers after completing the Everest Base Camp trek. (Photo: Amazing Trekkers Club)
ATC organises hikes in Singapore and overseas. Local hikes cost around S$150 while a trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or to get to Everest Base Camp could cost up to S$4,500. The price includes kit, training and accommodation but doesn’t cover the cost of flights.
Each trip also includes a post-hike relaxation activity, such as a safari, spa session or cultural tour. And the club always finds a local non-profit to support, wherever they go.
In Singapore, besides MacRitchie Reservoir and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the women have also explored Coney Island, the Rail Corridor, Pulau Ubin and walked from one station to another along entire MRT lines.
ATC was born out of a desire to foster an empowering community for women, where they could challenge themselves physically and mentally through hiking and adventure, Hazleen said.
“One of our members said she came for the adventure but stayed because of the sisterhood,” Hazleen added. “These women keep climbing mountains together and train together. They’ve formed a tribe and it goes beyond climbing.”
The only time the women stopped trekking was during the pandemic. A decade on, Hazleen said 3,500 women and youths have climbed over 250 mountains in more than 30 countries. While it’s meant for women, ATC also organises youth and family trips. Sometimes, husbands even join the training and social events.
Hazleen (second in back row) with her mountain sisters after climbing Bukhansan in South Korea. (Photo: Amazing Trekkers Club)
Hazleen has climbed 87 mountains including Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Rainbow Mountain in Peru, completed the Everest Base Camp trek, Mont Blanc (in the snow and “the toughest one” of all) in France, Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia, Gran Paradiso in Italy and Ben Nevis in Scotland.
The highlight for her is the conversations that take place on the mountains. These could be hiking-related issues such as what to do if they’re struggling with their heart rate or if their boots don’t fit properly. But they also talk about menopause, mental health and grief.
“The mountains give us comfort, as a kind of retreat away from any tension, where you can actually be yourself,” Hazleen said. “I unmask on so many levels. It’s very, very powerful.
“I’ve seen people break down. I’ll be talking and then I realise… my companion is sitting there just bawling. Because things come out when we talk.”
She revealed she was “obsessed with climbing mountains” because of her undiagnosed ADHD.
“People with ADHD are very obsessive,” Hazleen, who was officially diagnosed only in 2024, said.
Besides being an advocate for neurodiversity, she is also an angel investor. She’s pictured here attending the Arabreneurs Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony in London in July 2025. (Photo: Arab Entrepreneurs Board UK)
The journey to her diagnosis started with her menopause symptoms in 2023. The mum-of-three had very heavy bleeding, night sweats and was losing her hair. She also had brain fog and was baffled that she couldn’t remember things and had to write them down.
She was then working on her master’s degree in applied neuroscience at King’s College London. It was during the course that she was tested for ADHD – it wasn’t just regular brain fog related to menopause, her memory issues were linked with ADHD.
Hazleen described this diagnosis as a “revelation”.
“It reframed my entire narrative from one of self-doubt to one of self-compassion and understanding,” she said.
“I realised that my intense focus, creativity and intuition – qualities that helped me thrive as a leader, communications strategist and entrepreneur – were part of my neurodivergence.”
Hazleen on Huayna Picchu, after the Machu Picchu Inca trail in Peru. (Photo: Amazing Trekkers Club)
Hazleen now embraces her differences as strengths and is passionate about creating spaces where others feel safe to do the same.
One of her ventures is serving as global deputy CEO of the Institute of Neurodiversity, as well as president and chairperson of its Singapore chapter.
While the global institute has been around for five years, Hazleen started the Singapore chapter as a non-profit in early 2025 and serves as a full-time volunteer in these roles.
The organisation’s goal is to create awareness among companies and schools about neurodiversity, and there are plans to set up an actual institute.
Hazleen is also an angel investor, specifically in women, women-led businesses and women’s health. She describes herself as an “impact entrepreneur” and an advocate of neurodiversity, through her various companies.
Hazleen’s love for hiking has rubbed off on her daughters, aged 17 and 15, who have climbed several mountains with her. In 2018, her older daughter, then 10 years old, became the youngest Singaporean to climb two peaks in Mount Kilimanjaro, Hazleen said.
“Climbing mountains has taught her about perseverance, determination and endurance, and given her a sense of community,” she said. “Whenever she has challenges now, she says to herself, ‘If I managed to climb a mountain, I can overcome this too’.”
Hazleen has climbed 87 mountains, including Mount Pulag in the Philippines. (Photo: Amazing Trekkers Club)
Her younger daughter has also signed up for a Kilimanjaro hike with her school. Hazleen also has a son, aged 27.
She is now working on an upcoming launch of ATC Marketplace, a platform that unites a community of women globally, both online and offline. She is also launching a women leaders’ think tank, called Wolf-Women Pack.
While ATC is one of her business ventures, Hazleen admits it also “became my medicine, my elixir and my remedy”.
“The rhythmic pattern of hiking trails helps regulate my ADHD brain,” she said.
“What started as personal therapy has grown into a community of strong women supporting each other through life’s transitions.”
There’s no “hiding from yourself” in the mountains, she said. Also, the physical challenges of trekking combined with the mental clarity that comes from being in nature creates a perfect environment for personal growth and healing.
“The community we’ve built understands that every woman’s journey is unique, yet we all share the common ground of seeking strength through adventure,” Hazleen said.
“The mountain doesn’t care about your diagnosis – it only asks if you’re willing to take the next step and to notice how far you have come.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg (CNAWomen[at]mediacorp[dot]com[dot]sg).
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What started it all was a health scare in 2011. While recovering from an operation on her foot, Hazleen developed a pain in her throat that turned out to be something more serious – an abscess.
“I said to my husband at the time, ‘I have a feeling I’m going to die’, and he said I was exaggerating,” Hazleen recalled. “I told him to take me to the emergency room as I couldn’t breathe. I felt something was burning.
“When I got to the ENT specialist in Mount Elizabeth Hospital, he told me to go into a room. He sanitised a knife and within five seconds he cut my throat open,” she added. “There was a build-up of toxins, it was closing up my throat. And if it had burst, it would have gone into my lung, and I would have suffocated.”
This type of infection is known as peritonsillar abscess or quinsy, where pus accumulates in the throat and forms an abscess if not treated.
After this harrowing incident, Hazleen realised she needed to start exercising properly.
“I was around 40, was probably going through perimenopause and I had undiagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),” she said. “I was getting angry a lot and was unhappy with myself. That’s when I started running.”
Hazleen’s first hike was at Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia. “Once I started hiking, I couldn't stop,” she says. (Photo: Hazleen Ahmad)
Hazleen ended up doing 10 half-marathons, so when her friend asked her to go for the hiking trip, she grabbed the opportunity. Although she didn’t do that well on the climb as she had only trained for two weeks – and wasn’t prepared for the high altitude – she got hooked.
The euphoria she got when she climbed Mount Kinabalu was medicine for everything, said Hazleen. But it wasn’t just the activity that impressed her, it was also the company.
“Hiking saved my life,” the 53-year-old told CNA Women. “Once I started hiking, I couldn’t stop. But it’s not just hiking alone, you have to do it with a team, with women who support each other.”
AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH
Hazleen started the Amazing Trekkers Club (ATC) in 2015 and created a 10-year business plan for her outdoor adventure company.
Hazleen (third from left) started Amazing Trekkers Club in 2015. In this photo, she is with fellow female hikers after completing the Everest Base Camp trek. (Photo: Amazing Trekkers Club)
ATC organises hikes in Singapore and overseas. Local hikes cost around S$150 while a trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or to get to Everest Base Camp could cost up to S$4,500. The price includes kit, training and accommodation but doesn’t cover the cost of flights.
Each trip also includes a post-hike relaxation activity, such as a safari, spa session or cultural tour. And the club always finds a local non-profit to support, wherever they go.
In Singapore, besides MacRitchie Reservoir and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the women have also explored Coney Island, the Rail Corridor, Pulau Ubin and walked from one station to another along entire MRT lines.
ATC was born out of a desire to foster an empowering community for women, where they could challenge themselves physically and mentally through hiking and adventure, Hazleen said.
“One of our members said she came for the adventure but stayed because of the sisterhood,” Hazleen added. “These women keep climbing mountains together and train together. They’ve formed a tribe and it goes beyond climbing.”
The only time the women stopped trekking was during the pandemic. A decade on, Hazleen said 3,500 women and youths have climbed over 250 mountains in more than 30 countries. While it’s meant for women, ATC also organises youth and family trips. Sometimes, husbands even join the training and social events.
Hazleen (second in back row) with her mountain sisters after climbing Bukhansan in South Korea. (Photo: Amazing Trekkers Club)
Hazleen has climbed 87 mountains including Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Rainbow Mountain in Peru, completed the Everest Base Camp trek, Mont Blanc (in the snow and “the toughest one” of all) in France, Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia, Gran Paradiso in Italy and Ben Nevis in Scotland.
The highlight for her is the conversations that take place on the mountains. These could be hiking-related issues such as what to do if they’re struggling with their heart rate or if their boots don’t fit properly. But they also talk about menopause, mental health and grief.
“The mountains give us comfort, as a kind of retreat away from any tension, where you can actually be yourself,” Hazleen said. “I unmask on so many levels. It’s very, very powerful.
“I’ve seen people break down. I’ll be talking and then I realise… my companion is sitting there just bawling. Because things come out when we talk.”
FLYING THE FLAG FOR NEURODIVERSITY
She revealed she was “obsessed with climbing mountains” because of her undiagnosed ADHD.
“People with ADHD are very obsessive,” Hazleen, who was officially diagnosed only in 2024, said.
Besides being an advocate for neurodiversity, she is also an angel investor. She’s pictured here attending the Arabreneurs Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony in London in July 2025. (Photo: Arab Entrepreneurs Board UK)
The journey to her diagnosis started with her menopause symptoms in 2023. The mum-of-three had very heavy bleeding, night sweats and was losing her hair. She also had brain fog and was baffled that she couldn’t remember things and had to write them down.
She was then working on her master’s degree in applied neuroscience at King’s College London. It was during the course that she was tested for ADHD – it wasn’t just regular brain fog related to menopause, her memory issues were linked with ADHD.
Hazleen described this diagnosis as a “revelation”.
“It reframed my entire narrative from one of self-doubt to one of self-compassion and understanding,” she said.
“I realised that my intense focus, creativity and intuition – qualities that helped me thrive as a leader, communications strategist and entrepreneur – were part of my neurodivergence.”
Hazleen on Huayna Picchu, after the Machu Picchu Inca trail in Peru. (Photo: Amazing Trekkers Club)
Hazleen now embraces her differences as strengths and is passionate about creating spaces where others feel safe to do the same.
One of her ventures is serving as global deputy CEO of the Institute of Neurodiversity, as well as president and chairperson of its Singapore chapter.
While the global institute has been around for five years, Hazleen started the Singapore chapter as a non-profit in early 2025 and serves as a full-time volunteer in these roles.
The organisation’s goal is to create awareness among companies and schools about neurodiversity, and there are plans to set up an actual institute.
Hazleen is also an angel investor, specifically in women, women-led businesses and women’s health. She describes herself as an “impact entrepreneur” and an advocate of neurodiversity, through her various companies.
THE INSPIRING POWER OF COMMUNITY
Hazleen’s love for hiking has rubbed off on her daughters, aged 17 and 15, who have climbed several mountains with her. In 2018, her older daughter, then 10 years old, became the youngest Singaporean to climb two peaks in Mount Kilimanjaro, Hazleen said.
“Climbing mountains has taught her about perseverance, determination and endurance, and given her a sense of community,” she said. “Whenever she has challenges now, she says to herself, ‘If I managed to climb a mountain, I can overcome this too’.”
Hazleen has climbed 87 mountains, including Mount Pulag in the Philippines. (Photo: Amazing Trekkers Club)
Her younger daughter has also signed up for a Kilimanjaro hike with her school. Hazleen also has a son, aged 27.
She is now working on an upcoming launch of ATC Marketplace, a platform that unites a community of women globally, both online and offline. She is also launching a women leaders’ think tank, called Wolf-Women Pack.
While ATC is one of her business ventures, Hazleen admits it also “became my medicine, my elixir and my remedy”.
“The rhythmic pattern of hiking trails helps regulate my ADHD brain,” she said.
“What started as personal therapy has grown into a community of strong women supporting each other through life’s transitions.”
There’s no “hiding from yourself” in the mountains, she said. Also, the physical challenges of trekking combined with the mental clarity that comes from being in nature creates a perfect environment for personal growth and healing.
“The community we’ve built understands that every woman’s journey is unique, yet we all share the common ground of seeking strength through adventure,” Hazleen said.
“The mountain doesn’t care about your diagnosis – it only asks if you’re willing to take the next step and to notice how far you have come.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg (CNAWomen[at]mediacorp[dot]com[dot]sg).
Continue reading...