A U.S. climber scaling peaks to gather money for kids
cancer
Charity perished on a Himalayan summit during his preparation for the main climb.
Alexander Pancoe, 39, from
Illinois
suffered what appears to be a cardiac arrest late Sunday night at Camp II on Mount Makalu in Nepal, which is the planet’s fifth highest peak.
The seasoned climber, who previously overcame a brain tumor, had recently finished an acclimatization trip to Camp III.
Iswari Paudel from Himalayan Guides verified that Alex experienced discomfort as he descended from the mountain after finishing his acclimatization climb on one of the 8,485-meter peaks.
Himalayan Times.
Expedition officials told the
Independent
Pancoe was about to settle down for the evening when he abruptly started feeling ill.
His fellow players tried to bring him back to life for more than an hour, but sadly he stayed unresponsive.
A man from Chicago, who has two small kids, faced the tough challenge of raising $27,838—equivalent to the height of Mount Makalu in feet—for the pediatric blood cancer program at Lurie Children’s Hospital in his community.
Pancoe was also battling chronic myeloid leukemia when he passed away.
He was the originator of
Peaks of Mind,
A nonprofit organization that merges climbing activities to ‘heighten awareness and create an impact.’
‘Back in 2005, I underwent surgery for a brain tumor at Lurie Children’s Hospital and made a full recovery. It has now been 20 years since then without any issues,’ he shared on the Peaks of Mind’s website.
In 2016, I embarked on an transformative journey to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro. Following those years, I developed a deep passion for adventures, conquering fears, and stretching both my bodily and psychological boundaries.
Before embarking on his ultimate adventure, the seasoned mountaineer had already accomplished significant milestones, all while collecting donations for children who were ill.
‘I got this crazy idea in my head (the crazy is something the surgery didn’t change) to pursue the Explorer’s Grand Slam – a challenge that involves climbing the 7 summits and skiing to both the North and South Pole.’
‘During my pursuit of this aspiration, I increased public consciousness, highlighted the experiences of fellow patients, and gathered financial support for pediatric brain tumor research at Lurie Children’s Hospital — repaying the incredible institution that had previously rescued him from peril.’
He had several near misses before. While climbing Ama Dablam in the Himalayas in 2023, Pancoe first experienced significant health issues.
It has been an exhilarating period marked by thrilling adventures, including a severe climbing accident nearly costing my life, necessitating a dramatic rescue via Black Hawk helicopter, along with countless climbs. By reaching both Mount Everest and Denali in 2019, I joined the ranks as only the 15th American and among fewer than 75 individuals globally to achieve the prestigious Grand Slam. Throughout this journey, I also managed to raise approximately $500,000 for Lurie Children’s hospital.
In 2023, during an ascent of Ama Dablam—a demanding climb in the Himalayas—I experienced severe hypoxia and battled against the high altitude. Months afterward, I received a diagnosis of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, discovering that my body had failed to produce enough red blood cells needed for proper adaptation at such heights.
However, even after receiving the shocking diagnosis, Pancoe remained resolute in pursuing his goals.
CML is an ongoing battle with cancer, and after nearly two years of managing this condition through treatments—I plan to tackle climbing Makalu, the fifth tallest peak globally. My objective is to ascend to its summit at 27,838 feet above sea level and raise funds equivalent to that altitude amounting to $27,838 for the Lurie Children’s pediatric blood cancer program.
‘Climbing at high altitudes will present a significant test for me—managing the difficulties of elevation alone is tough enough when dealing with a long-term condition—but I am eager to meet this challenge head-on.’
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