KATHMANDU, Nepal — Shaunna Burke, a McGill University graduate from Pte. Claire, Que., has defied the odds by finishing fourth in her category at the Everest Marathon, despite battling stage four breast cancer.
 
The 49-year-old associate professor in exercise and health psychology at the University of Leeds completed the grueling 42.2-kilometre race on May 29 in seven hours and 41 minutes, finishing fourth among women in the foreigner category. There were more than 200 participants from 32 different countries at the annual marathon, which commemorates the first successful ascent of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. The race starts at an altitude of 5,356 metres at Everest Base Camp and descends to Namche Bazaar at 3,446m. 
 
Dr. Burke was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer in 2024 after the disease had spread to her liver. She underwent four and a half months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, liver surgery, and three weeks of radiotherapy. Throughout her treatment, she maintained her fitness by running to and from hospital appointments, applying her own research on exercise's role in cancer treatment. 
 
"I summited Everest (before), so I do know what it's like to push myself in high altitudes ," Burke said in a BBC News report. "That resilience, I have it within me, and I think it paid off."
 
A seasoned mountaineer, Burke has been to the Everest region on three previous occasions and became the second Canadian woman to summit Mount Everest in 2005.

During her time at McGill from 1998 to 2001, she was a two-sport athlete, competing on the alpine ski and rugby teams, both of which won Quebec league championships. In her junior year she finished on the podium six times in 10 races with the ski team, winning a pair of gold medals in the process. She also skied for the Quebec provincial squad and competed for Canada at the 1999 FISU Winter Games in Slovakia. 

After graduating from McGill in 2001 with an arts degree, majoring in psychology and human kinetics, Burke completed a master's degree and PhD in sports psychology at the University of Ottawa. She later attended Exeter University in the UK and has presented her work at numerous conferences around the world, as well as at many motivational speaking engagements.  

Burke has previously climbed four of the world's seven highest peaks, including Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, Mount Elbrus in Russia, and Kilimanjaro in Africa.
 
She has raised over $18,600 (CDN) for Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity that aided her during treatment.
 
"Bigger mountains are coming next," Burke said, hinting at future challenges.

Hear all about her 2005 experience on Mt. Everest in an interview with Shaunna Burke, featured in a 2021 episode of McGill Athletics and Recreation's podcast series Alma Matters. 
 
SOURCE:

BBC NEWS
and
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-983-7012 (Tel.)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca