Dying to Climb is my quest to return to the summit of Mount Everest while living with Stage 4 breast cancer.

I first stood on top of Everest in 2005. Today, as a researcher in exercise and cancer, I study the very disease that is now threatening my own life. This expedition is more than a climb—it is a personal and scientific mission.

Climbing Everest is an 8-week expedition that demands navigating the deadly Khumbu Icefall, climbing at extreme altitudes, and surviving temperatures as low as –40°C—all while pushing the human body to its absolute limits.

By attempting this ascent, I hope to:

* Conduct groundbreaking research on how advanced cancer impacts the body under extreme conditions.

* Inspire others who are facing their own battles—showing that courage, purpose, and hope can exist even in the hardest moments.

* Raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support whose work has become deeply personal to me.

This journey will also be documented in a feature film that follows my story—a story of resilience, determination, and the drive to keep moving despite adversity. I hope this climb will stand as a message to anyone who feels overwhelmed: you are stronger than you think.

If you’re able to support this expedition, you’ll be helping push the boundaries of cancer research and supporting thousands of people facing the disease.

Thank you for believing in this mission.

For more information, please visit my website.

You can follow my progress on Instagram.

Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Only £34 of money raised will help pay for a Macmillan Nurse for one hour, to give essential medical, practical and emotional support to people living with cancer and their families.

Your support means the world to me.

Many thanks,

Shaunna

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