Shona out to prove Everest mission is far from impossible

Base camp challenge

A remarkable serving RAF amputee from West Lothian is set to take on Everest Base Camp in a challenging charity trek.

Corporal Shona Brownlee MBE PLY, is on a mission to make a difference.

As a lower limb amputee who continues to serve in the Royal Air Force, she embodies the “unwavering spirit of resilience and determination”.

Shona, from Livingston, is taking on an extraordinary challenge to raise funds for the AFPST (Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team), embarking on a courageous journey to Everest Base Camp.

The charity said this endeavour “not only showcases her personal triumph over adversity but also serves as a powerful testament to what the human mind and body can achieve when driven by unwavering motivation.”

The AFPST is an independent charity, registered in the UK, that uses the restorative and transforming power of parasnowsports to accelerate and support the recovery and welfare of our wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans. The charity relies solely on donations and is 100 per cent voluntary led.

Shona has just returned from participating in AFPST’s Winter Endeavour in Colorado which saw 14 international athletes join the AFPST cohort for an Invictus Games Foundation camp in advance of the first Invictus Winter Games being held in VancouverWhistler, Canada in 2025. This was a last-minute change for Shona as she should have been representing Team GB at the World Cup Finals in Slovenia.

However the event was sadly cancelled due to lack of snow.

Shona, to date, has won more than 30 medals at international events (including silver and bronze at World Championships) since she learnt to sitski in 2019 after an amputation as a result of a military training accident.

And the path to Everest Base Camp is no easy feat. Shona faces a myriad of challenges along the way.

The altitude, for instance, poses a significant obstacle. The thin air at such high altitudes can put immense strain on the body and pose serious risks even to experienced climbers. Furthermore, as a lower leg amputee, she will be faced with additional challenges presented by the unforgiving terrain and the impact it will have on her prosthetic leg and residual limb. However, Shona is determined to overcome this challenge and prove that the human spirit can conquer even the most demanding of environments.

In addition to altitude, the weather conditions at Everest Base Camp are notoriously harsh.

To donate to the Everest Base Camp charity challenge, visit www. justgiving.com/page/afpst-ebcshona

Shona is determined to overcome this challenge and prove the human spirit can conquer the most demanding environments