Brain Tumor Survivor Alex Pancoe From Highland Park Summits Mount Everest In Quest To Support Lurie Children's Hospital
CHICAGO (CBS)--Northwestern graduate Alex Pancoe is on top of the world after summiting Mount Everest.
Pancoe reached the top at 7 a.m. Nepal time.
The Highland Park native has one mountain left to complete his quest to finish the Explorers Grand Slam, an adventurers' challenge consisting of climbing the Seven Summits – or the highest mountain on each continent — and cross-country skiing across both the North and South Poles.
The Explorers Grand Slam is one of the most extreme mental and physical challenges in the world. Only about 60 people have completed the feat to date.
He plans to climb Alaska's Mt. Denali next month.
Last year, while training on Snowmass Mountain in Colorado, Pancoe also survived a near-fatal fall, when a piece of rock broke off in his hand, and he hit a sharp edge. He badly injured his leg, and suffered frostbite before crawling to get cell service, and being airlifted to safety.
Pancoe trained for two years in preparation to scale Everest, in an effort to raise $1 million for pediatric brain tumor research Lurie Children's Hospital.
He is dedicating his climb of Everest to Serena Lewis, a teenager who shares a special bond. They both survived brain tumors, thanks to doctors at Lurie Children's Hospital.
