Thomson grad seeks to conquer Mount Everest in May 2014

UPDATED JULY 14, 2018: Tragically, Dr. Shehbaz Butt, a noted alumnus of David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute, class of 1991, died on the evening of July 12, 2018 when the single-engine light aircraft he was piloting crashed moments after take-off from Buttonville Airport, north of Toronto. Further details about this crash were reported by The Globe and Mail, CBC News, CITY News, CP24 News, CTV News and CKEY News.

UPDATED APRIL 24, 2014: Following the disastrous collapse of an ice wall that killed 16 Sherpa porters and guides, in recent days many Everest expeditions have cancelled their plans. Dr. Butt and his climbing partner, Joe Raftis, are now on their way back to Canada. See Dr. Butt’s personal journal for more details and some photographs of the hike into the Himalaya region that he and Joe completed in mid-April. A follow-up news story about the Everest disaster in the Globe and Mail also mentions Dr. Butt. For additional news about the outcome of the 2014 climbing season on Mount Everest, we suggest you follow this authoritative blog maintained by Alan Arnette, a noted mountaineering commentator.

Thomson CI’s distinguished 1991 alumnus, Dr. Shehbaz Butt, who is an anaesthesiologist at Markham Stouffville Hospital, will be attempting a climb of Mount Everest in May 2014. Dr. Butt has climbed four of the Seven Summits (highest mountains on all 7 continents) and is asking for your support to help him climb his fifth!

Dr. Butt is committed to raising $100,000 to purchase new state-of-the-art Operating Room equipment as part of Markham Stouffville Hospital’s $50 million Expansion Campaign. You can help him by making a secure online donation by contacting Galit at 905.472.7373 ext. 6177 or gosadtsuk@msh.on.ca, or use the offline donation form at this link [PDF form].

For further information about this fundraising effort, please see this news story and the official web site for the climb.