Latest news with #ExplorersGrandSlam
Qatar Tribune
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Sheikha Asma conquers Nanga Parbat Summit in Pakistan
Doha Qatari mountaineering legend Sheikha Asma bint Thani Al Thani has reached the summit of Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, adding yet another remarkable achievement to her extraordinary record. At 8,126 meters, Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest peak in the world. With this latest accomplishment, Sheikha Asma has now successfully climbed 9 of the 14 mountains globally that exceed 8,000 meters in elevation. Currently in Pakistan, Sheikha Asma is focused on her next challenge—reaching the summits of Gasherbrum 1, Gasherbrum 2, and Broad Peak. Upon completion, only the peaks of Shishapangma and Cho Oyu will remain, positioning her to become the first woman in history to conquer all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters and achieve the "Explorers Grand Slam"—a groundbreaking milestone in mountaineering. Beyond her remarkable climbs, Sheikha Asma's expeditions serve as a platform for raising awareness of important global issues. Through her journeys, she aims to encourage women and youth in the region to overcome barriers and follow their dreams. Sheikha Asma has partnered with several international organizations, including Ooredoo and the UNHCR, to advance humanitarian and social causes through her adventurous expeditions.
Qatar Tribune
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Sheikha Asma Al Thani conquers Nanga Parbat summit in Pakistan
Tribune News Network Sheikha Asma bint Thani Al Thani, a renowned mountain climbing legend, conquered the summit of Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, adding yet another remarkable achievement to her extraordinary record. At 8,126 meters, Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest peak in the world. With this latest accomplishment, Sheikha Asma has now successfully climbed 9 of the 14 mountains globally that exceed 8,000 meters in elevation. Currently in Pakistan, Sheikha Asma is focused on her next challenge — reaching the summits of Gasherbrum 1, Gasherbrum 2, and Broad Peak. Upon completion, only the peaks of Shishapangma and Cho Oyu will remain, positioning her to become the first woman in history to conquer all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters and achieve the 'Explorers Grand Slam'—a groundbreaking milestone in mountaineering. Beyond her remarkable climbs, Sheikha Asma's expeditions serve as a platform for raising awareness of important global issues. Through her journeys, she aims to encourage women and youth in the region to overcome barriers and follow their dreams. Sheikha Asma has partnered with several international organizations, including Ooredoo and the UNHCR, to advance humanitarian and social causes through her adventurous expeditions.
Chicago Tribune
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Highland Park native dies climbing Himalayan mountain, leaving young family devastated
Highland Park native Alex Pancoe, who made headlines for his mountain climbing and fundraising as a cancer survivor, died Sunday climbing the fifth-highest mountain in the world, leaving his young family devastated as they and others remember his legacy of charity and kindness. Alex Pancoe was 38. According to reports, he died while nearly 28,000 feet up Makalu in the Himalayas. He became unresponsive while settling into his sleeping bag, according to a post by the expedition organizer Madison Mountaineering, and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. He leaves behind a 7-month-old daughter, a 2-year-old son and his wife, Nina. She described him as, 'the most determined, passionate, kind (and) generous person I have ever met.' 'He worked so hard to fight for his dreams, to fight for what he loved,' Pancoe said. She said her husband died doing what he loved, although the news has left her world 'shattered.' They had always joked about him dying an old man climbing some mountain, but for him to go so young is 'heartbreaking.' The two met thanks to his love of climbing and fundraising work for Lurie Children's Hospital, where he had been treated for a brain tumor as a teen. She was a TV producer in Chicago at the time, and met him for a story. Despite the numerous headlines he would make, she was always impressed by his humility. It was 'about helping other people,' Pancoe said. The two quickly hit it off. 'I was like, 'Wow, this guy is really cool,'' she recalled, saying they started following each other on social media. 'It was during that Arctic storm in Chicago a few years ago, and I messaged, 'You're training outside? It must be really cold out.' Something really cheesy that we would laugh about.' On their first date, she said she 'knew he was the one right away.' Three months later, while he was scaling Mount Everest, she was moving into his apartment and, she said, 'the rest is history.' Alex Pancoe's climbing journey started less than a decade ago, but in that time he had achieved the Explorers Grand Slam, a feat that involves scaling the highest mountain on each continent, including Mount Everest, and trekking to each pole, surviving dangerous conditions and near-death experiences. He was born and raised in Highland Park, and spent his entire life in the Chicagoland area. He graduated from Highland Park High School in 2004, going on to attend Northwestern University. It was between his freshman and sophomore years, in 2005, that he discovered at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago that his headaches were being caused by a brain tumor. It was successfully removed, and he graduated in 2009. He would move from Evanston to Chicago, pursuing a career with Morgan Stanley. According to several webpages generated by Alex Pancoe, he was an avid sports fan, lifelong skier and foodie. Nina Pancoe, after her time as a producer and writer in television news, became a self-described mom, adventurer and traveler. The pair had climbed a few mountains together, and she had even managed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro just two months before he did. 'I always held that (over) him,' Pancoe said, laughing. 'Even though you're the big climber, ha ha, I beat you.' His death is a devastating loss for the family, she said. Their daughter will have no memories of him, and will only know her father through photographs. She had to break the news to their son gently. 'Daddy got a really bad owie on the mountain, and he's not coming down,' she told him. And for her, it is a terrible ending to what had been a 'fairytale romance.' She recalled her heart dropping when she saw the call from the satellite phone, and hearing the news. It's still hard to come to terms with it, she said. 'I still woke up this morning thinking about something, and was like, 'Oh, Alex is going to love this,'' Pancoe said. 'It's not real yet to me. I still think I'm going to see him pull up … open the doors, and give me a big hug and kiss.' The family is planning a celebration of life later in the summer. 'That's what Alex would have wanted,' she said. 'He wouldn't want people mourning him. He would want people coming together and celebrating.' In a statement, a representative of Lurie Children's Hospital said the people there are 'deeply saddened' by the news of his death. He has been, 'a cherished friend, advocate, and hero to our Lurie Children's community.' 'Alex's legacy is defined by his extraordinary courage, boundless generosity, and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children and families facing serious health challenges,' the statement said. As a brain tumor and leukemia survivor, he, 'transformed his personal journey into a global mission,' successfully raising more than a million dollars for pediatric brain tumor research. He had also committed to raising another $1 million for Lurie Children's, and the hospital had named a nursing station on the Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Neuro-oncology Inpatient Unit in his honor. 'Beyond his philanthropic achievements, Alex was a beloved member of our community,' the statement continued. 'Our deepest sympathy goes out to Alex's family. We are profoundly grateful for the impact Alex made on our hospital and the lives of so many.' Matt Adkins, a fellow climber, said he met Alex on a mountain in Colorado. The two stayed in touch, and Adkins said Alex helped him plan for several climbing trips in South America and the Himalayas. He said the news left him 'heartbroken.' 'I know he had a deep love for his family, and he was a long-time student of the mountains,' Adkins said. Madison Mountaineering called his passing a 'tremendous loss,' and said their hearts went out to the family 'during this incredibly difficult time.'
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Highly experienced American mountaineer dies of cardiac arrest climbing 8,485m peak
American mountaineer Alexander Pancoe died, likely from cardiac arrest, while preparing to summit Mt Makalu in Nepal. The renowned mountaineer from Illinois felt unwell late on Sunday night at Camp II after returning from Camp III, Iswari Paudel, managing director at Himalayan Guides, the expedition organiser, told The Independent. Pancoe, 39, had completed an acclimatisation rotation to Camp III, a practice climb meant to help the body adapt to reduced oxygen levels before a summit attempt. Pancoe aimed to raise $27,838 – the height of Mt Makalu in feet – for Lurie Children's pediatric blood cancer programme in his hometown. The climber had survived a brain tumour but was battling leukaemia at the time of his death. On Mt Makalu, the fifth-highest peak in the world at 8,485m above the sea level, climbers pass through high-altitude camps to acclimatise to the conditions. Camp II is generally at 6,600-6,800m and Camp III at 7,300-7,400m. Mr Paudal told The Independent that 'Alex died possibly of cardiac arrest'. 'The cause of the death can be confirmed after postmortem only, but we suspect that it was a cardiac arrest,' he said on the phone from Kathmandu. Mr Paudel said Pancoe had reached Nepal early last month. On Sunday, Pancoe's team of four, his expedition leader, was about to rest for the night when he felt unwell. The teammates tried to revive him for over an hour, but he was unresponsive, Mr Paudel said. Pancoe's family and the US embassy in Kathmandu had been informed of his death, Mr Paudel said, and efforts are ongoing to retrieve his body from the camp. The Independent has reached out to the US embassy in Kathmandu for comment. The Himalayan peak of Mt Makalu is on the border between Nepal and China's Tibet, about 23 km southeast of Mt Everest. Pancoe was a prominent figure in the mountaineering community. He dedicated his adventure pursuits to supporting Lurie Children's Hospital in Illinois where he had been operated upon after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2005. He aimed to raise funds for brain tumour research by completing the Explorers Grand Slam, a rare challenge involving climbs of the Seven Summits and cross-country skiing to the North and South Poles. He had founded Peaks of Mind, a project that merged his passion for mountaineering with a commitment to mental health advocacy. 'It was a wild few years filled with adventure, a near-fatal climbing injury that required a Blackhawk helicopter rescue and lots of climbing! In 2019, upon summiting Everest and Denali, I became just the 15th American and one of 75 people in the world to complete the Grand Slam, raising almost $500,000 in the process for Lurie Children's,' Pancoe wrote on the Peaks of Mind website. 'In 2023, while climbing Ama Dablam, a challenging climb in the Himalayan range, I became extremely hypoxic and struggled with the altitude. Several months later I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia and learned that my body had been unable to make the red blood cells necessary to acclimate at altitude.' Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, he explained, was a 'lifelong cancer'. 'After almost two years of receiving treatment to manage it, I am going to be attempting to climb Makalu, the 5th highest mountain in the world and raise $27,838 for Lurie Children's pediatric blood cancer programme.' Pancoe noted that 'climbing at altitude is plenty hard without a chronic ailment' but said he looked forward to 'rising to the challenge'.
Zawya
17-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Ooredoo Qatar announces Asma Al Thani as Brand Ambassador, championing resilience and women empowerment
Doha, Qatar: Ooredoo, Qatar's leading telecommunications provider, has proudly announced Asma Al Thani as its official Brand Ambassador as part of the company's enduring commitment to connecting the community to inspirational voices and stories. The announcement was made at a special press conference at Ooredoo's HQ, attended by Sheikh Ali Bin Jabor Bin Mohammad Al Thani, Chief Executive Officer at Ooredoo Qatar, along with key members of the media and industry leaders. Asma Al Thani, a true pioneer in global exploration, is on a historic mission to become the first Arab—male or female—to conquer both the Explorers Grand Slam and all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks. Her ambitious journey, 'Beyond Boundaries', is metaphorically similar to Ooredoo's own vision of pushing limits, embracing challenges, and connecting people. Sheikh Ali Bin Jabor Bin Mohammad Al Thani, CEO of Ooredoo Qatar, commented:"At Ooredoo, we proudly champion ambition, resilience, and leaders in our community. Asma Al Thani's extraordinary journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and an inspiration to both Qatar and the wider Arab World. Just as we empower people through digital transformation and innovation, we are honoured to support Asma and women everywhere in reaching new heights. Her success will undoubtedly pave the way for future generations, and we look forward to celebrating her achievements as a role model for aspiring female leaders worldwide." As a brand ambassador, Asma will collaborate with Ooredoo to engage audiences through a series of storytelling initiatives, digital activations, and community-driven programmes. Her journey will be closely followed through Ooredoo's platforms, bringing followers exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into her expeditions, training, and the mindset required to achieve such remarkable feats of endurance. Asma Al Thani shared her excitement about the partnership: 'Beyond Boundaries is more than just climbing mountains—it's about proving that no dream is too big if you have the courage to pursue it. Ooredoo has always been a brand that pushes boundaries in connectivity and innovation, and I'm thrilled to partner with them on this journey. Together, we can inspire the next generation to believe in their potential, embrace challenges, and become the best they can be.' Sabah Rabiah Al-Kuwari, Senior Director of Marketing Communications at Ooredoo Qatar, added: "Asma Al Thani's journey is a powerful reminder that no goal is too ambitious and no challenge too great when met with courage and perseverance. At Ooredoo, we are committed to supporting those who lead by example. Through this partnership, we aim to fuel the spirit of ambition, connectivity, and empowerment—values that define both Asma's expedition and Ooredoo's mission to improve lives." Through this partnership, Ooredoo Qatar continues its role as a key enabler of community development, supporting initiatives that empower women and inspire all individuals—celebrating Qatar's growing presence on the global stage. About Ooredoo Ooredoo is Qatar's leading communications company, delivering mobile, fixed, broadband internet and corporate managed services tailored to the needs of consumers and businesses. As a community-focused company, Ooredoo is guided by its vision of enriching people's lives and its belief that it can stimulate human growth by leveraging communications to help people achieve their full potential.
