‘Nursing has given me the strength to take on Everest’

A woman is climbing Mount Everest as part of a challenge to summit seven of the world’s highest peaks, which aims to shine a light on the strength of nurses.

Rowena Rowberry, 34, is a nurse and lecturer in nursing at the University of Derby, and hopes to scale the world’s highest mountain by the end of May.

“I think nursing builds up a lot of strength in you, physically and psychologically, which is a huge thing when you’re doing high-altitude mountaineering,” she said.

Rowena, from Hatton in Derbyshire, has already climbed three mountains, starting with Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa in January 2024 which she described as “an impulse decision”.

Rowena says she is aiming to raise money for the Royal College of Nursing Foundation and to shine a light on the hardships of nursing.

“I think I’m still a little bit in denial, and I have been on every mountain that I’ve climbed,” she said.

“There will be a point where I’m facing the harsh realities of Mount Everest where I think ‘what am I doing?’

“But what an experience, I’m so lucky to be here. I’m just taking it in my stride.”

Rowena said she had not climbed anything in the UK higher than Thorpe Cloud in the Peak District when she took on the 19,340ft (5,895m) Mount Kilimanjaro.

“I did not think that in 18 months’ time after doing Kilimanjaro I would be at the base of Mount Everest,” she added.

Rowena then took on Mount Elbrus in Russia in August 2024 and the Aconcagua in Argentina in February 2025.

She is part of a team of four people going up Everest, along with four Sherpas.

“It’s absolutely stunning, but we’re itching to get started now,” Rowena said.

“I really want to see what the real heavy climb is all about and get these legs and arms working and get myself to the top.”

Rowena, who was born in Worcester, says she thinks there are “a lot of qualities that come with nursing that have enabled me to do what I do”.

“Things like having a sense of focus, drive and determination and strength as well,” she added.

After Mount Everest, Rowena will have three remaining mountains to tackle, Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, Mount McKinley in the US and Mount Vinson in Antarctica.