VISAKHAPATNAM: At an age when many begin to slow down, 58-year-old Munni Kaisare from Visakhapatnam, chose an entirely different path. A cancer survivor and a retired teacher from Timpany School, she recently completed the arduous trek to the Everest Base Camp, turning a deeply personal journey of recovery into a quiet but powerful message of resilience.
Munni was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago. The news shook her family, but she recalls the moment with calm clarity.
“Everyone at home was devastated. But after chemotherapy and with God’s grace, my health slowly improved. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life being afraid of what had happened,” she says.
One afternoon while watching a documentary on the Discovery Channel, she came across a programme on Everest trekking. “It fascinated me,” she says, adding, “I thought, why not try it myself?”
Her family was startled when she expressed her desire. They asked, ‘Why risk your health at this age?’ But I had already made up my mind.”
Munni successfully trekked Dayara Bugyal in Uttarakhand, located at 12,000 feet. That experience strengthened her confidence. “If I could do that, I felt I could aim higher,” she says.
She trekked nearly nine hours a day during the final stretch of the expedition. “When I started trekking, I had a severe cough. Doctors said it was due to exposure to animal droppings on the mountain trails,” she recalled.
On October 20, she stood at the Everest Base Camp, 17,598 feet above sea level, surrounded by snow-laden peaks and icy winds
For Munni, the moment was less about achievement and more about gratitude. “Up there, the cold is harsh and the climb is tough. But all I could think was, my body carried me this far after everything it has been through.”
Along the way, she met trekkers in their 80s and 90s, whose determination moved her deeply. “Seeing them climb made me realise that age really is just a number,” she says.
Munni hopes her journey helps reduce the fear surrounding cancer. “Many people think life ends with a diagnosis, but it doesn’t,” she says quietly but firmly. “If you notice even a small lump, go to a doctor immediately. And for women above 40, regular check-ups are very important.”
She emphasises that healing is a combination of medical care, nutrition, exercise, and emotional acceptance. “Life is precious,” she says, “and we shouldn’t give up on it.” For her, trekking to Everest Base Camp was not a pursuit of records but a reminder of what the human spirit can endure. Munni hopes others facing illness or emotional setbacks will find the courage to rebuild their lives in their own way. “We cannot control everything life gives us, but we can choose how to face it,” she added.