Spring 2025 NSF Newsletter – Nepal Spine Foundation

Spring 2025 NSF Newsletter (View PDF)

A man with a beaming smile stands on a rocky mountain path, holding a white banner that reads "Nepal Spine Surgical Camp, Dr. Richard Chua's 60th Y[ea]R. Celebration Trek to Everest BC - 2025" and "SNT Shangri-La Nepal Trek". Behind him are majestic snow-capped mountains, colorful prayer flags, and a small village in the valley.

Fundraising Trek, May 2025

A huge congratulations to our NSF Co-Founder & Board Member, Richard Chua, MD, on a very successful trek to Everest Basecamp, with the endless support of Shangri-La Nepal Trek. Below is an account of Dr. Chua’s experience:

MY EPIC 60th BIRTHDAY TREK TO MT. EVEREST BASE CAMP

With limited training time, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson neurosurgeon and founding member of the Nepal Spine Foundation, Richard Chua, MD, just completed a nine-day trek to the highest heights — the base camp of Mount Everest – all in support of global spine education.

“I’m not a hiker, not a climber. I just committed,” he said. Since 2019, the co-founder of the Nepal Spine Foundation has traveled to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, with a group of neurosurgeons to provide volunteer spine surgery and education.

To help raise funds for their mission, Dr. Chua and his colleagues partnered with a climbing outfitter, Shangri-La Nepal Trek P. Ltd, led by Nepal Spine Foundation Board Member, Jiban Ghimire, that donated a portion of its guide fee to the spine foundation.

A group of approximately 15 people, many wearing white lab coats, stand together in a room. One man in the center wears a patterned sash around his neck and stands behind a table with a small cake on it.

Three men stand in front of a brick wall with a "Hotel Yak & Yeti" sign. The man on the left wears a blue polo, the middle man a blue jacket, and the man on the right a black cap and shirt. The man in the middle and on the right hold a white banner similar to the one in "chua-snt.jpg".

An Estimated 40,000 people trek each year to the base camp of the world’s highest mountain, making it one of the most popular routes in the Himalayas.Even though it doesn’t require technical climbing skills, the hike can be extremely difficult due to the high altitude. This hike is moderate compared to the summit of Mount Everest, which is 29,000 feet in elevation and takes about three months to hike.

The trek to Mount Everest Base Camp covers 40 miles starting at the mountain town of Lukla, known for having the most dangerous airport in the world. The trek starts at an elevation of 9300 feet and ends at 17,600 feet. While most trekkers reach Base Camp for a short stay then climb down the mountain, Dr. Chua was treated to a special birthday present by spending the night at Base Camp.

A man in a pink shirt and blue cap stands on a stone platform, holding walking poles, with a long suspension bridge stretching across a deep valley behind him. Mountains and trees are visible in the background.

Two men in the foreground take a selfie, one wearing sunglasses and a cap, the other sunglasses. Behind them, a group of hikers walk along a dirt path towards a white Buddhist stupa with a golden spire. In the distant background, a prominent snow-capped mountain with a distinctive peak is visible under a clear sky.

A man stands in the center of a large, colorful ornate stone gateway with intricate carvings and statues of mythical creatures. Behind him, through the gate, is a multi-story building. The ground is made of cobblestones.

To mark his 60th birthday, Dr. Chua committed to the climb. But his training consisted of a mere six weeks of indoor cycling.

Even after the grueling first four days on the trail, his commitment held strong. “I fell several times just because I lost my balance and I was weak,” he said. “I didn’t think my body could be more physically tired and exhausted. My legs hurt, and I felt breathless.”

On the trek, he learned to conserve as much energy as possible while navigating physical exhaustion, isolation and high-altitude risk. One of those risks was low blood oxygen saturation, which can cause confusion, headache, shortness of breath and fatigue. Dr. Chua’s blood oxygen levels dropped as low as 60%, well below the normal 98%.

Thankfully, Dr. Chua wasn’t alone. His trekking guide, Lalit Magar, offered steady emotional, psychological and logistical support. In the final stretch to base camp, Lalit held Dr. Chua by the arm and helped steady him in the last 100 yards across the wet, slippery rocks of Base Camp while witnessing small avalanches at the top of the surrounding glaciers.

“It’s the hardest thing I have ever done. A thousand times worse than I would have thought, physically and psychologically,” he said.

His first night ever sleeping in a tent was no easier. At 17,600 feet in elevation, temperatures at the base camp plummet at night. Dr. Chua resorted to wearing seven layers of clothing and mittens while in a down sleeping bag zipped up to his nose.

“I woke up to the sound of cracking glaciers and the realization that I actually did it,” he said. “That morning, I just sat at the helipad, surrounded by the Himalayas, feeling completely grateful.”

The journey left an impact that he continues to reflect on daily. He credits his endurance, prayer and gratitude for making it possible. Along his journey, he frequently thought of his wife and daughters, friends, colleagues and his patients. “There were times that the trek was very lonely, but it gave me time to reflect on who I am, where I came from, and what I want to do with the rest of my career and my life. It was the best birthday, every!”

“When you go to Nepal to do this kind of work, you learn about the people, the culture and trekking in the Himalayas,” Dr. Chua said.

Congratulations, Dr. Chua!

A close-up selfie of a person's face, largely obscured by a black beanie and a patterned neck gaiter, with bright blue mirrored sunglasses reflecting the snowy landscape. Behind them, a massive glacier and a jagged, snow-covered mountain peak rise dramatically.

Three men stand behind a dark pickup truck with its tailgate down, revealing numerous boxes and containers filling the truck bed. The men are casually dressed and leaning on the truck. Tall pine trees are visible in the background.

Thank you to Dr. Jeff Larson & the folks at Kootenai Health!

A huge thank you to Jeff Larson, MD & Valerie Carpenter, RN, at Kootenai Health in Idaho for an extremely generous medical device donation to the Nepal Spine Foundation. These materials will go directly to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Thank you to John Mosley & Hajime Hiraragi for driving the donations to our designated location for distribution to our volunteers!

2026 Annapurna Fundraising Trek Details

Dominated by the majestic Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, central Nepal offers one of the most breathtaking trekking experiences in the Himalayas. This classic route north of Pokhara ventures deep into pristine wilderness, unveiling 360-degree panoramas of towering snowcapped peaks. Beginning in the lush lowland villages near Pokhara, the trail ascends through the narrow Modi Khola Gorge beneath the dramatic spire of Machhapuchhare (6,997m), guiding trekkers into the sacred heart of the Annapurna Sanctuary. The journey leads to Deorali Pass, high above the Kali Gandaki River—the deepest valley on Earth—flanked by two of the world’s highest mountains: Annapurna I (8,091m) to the east and Dhaulagiri (8,167m) to the west. Revered by the local Gurung people as a divine realm, the sanctuary is a rare and spiritual landscape that leaves a lasting impression.

Prayer flags in various colors hang in the foreground, slightly out of focus, with a towering, snow-capped mountain peak partially shrouded in clouds visible in the background under a blue sky.

A picturesque mountain village with traditional stone and multi-story buildings nestled into a lush green hillside. In the background, majestic snow-capped mountains rise under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. Prayer flags are visible near some of the buildings.

From the traditional village of Ghandruk, the trail winds through dense bamboo groves and vibrant rhododendron forests, steadily climbing to the sanctuary at 4,070m. This natural amphitheater is encircled by a crown of Himalayan giants rising over 6,000 to 8,000 meters, their glaciers carving through the cliffs below. For mountaineers seeking a greater challenge, nearby trekking peaks such as Tharpu Chuli (Tent Peak, 5,663m), Hiunchuli (6,441m), and the Fluted Peak offer thrilling climbs. Starting from the serene lakeside city of Pokhara, the Annapurna Base Camp trek is often described as one of Nepal’s most iconic journeys—an adventure filled with diversity in terrain, culture, and unmatched alpine beauty that every trekker should experience at least once in their lifetime.

April 27 – May 8, 2026

For more information about the 2026 trek to Annapurna, please reach out to Michi Wohns, 206-369-7770 or michiwohns@gmail.com.

A group of medical professionals in scrubs and masks are in an operating room, gathered around an operating table. Surgical equipment and lights are visible overhead.

UPCOMING VOLUNTEER TRIPS & EVENTS

December 1-5, 2025: Spine Week at TUTH, Kathmandu, Nepal
Ken Nwosu, MD, MBA & Adedayo Ashana, MD to introduce Endoscopic Spine Surgery
April 20-24, 2026: Spine Week at TUTH, Kathmandu & Pokhara, Nepal
April 27-May 8, 2025: Spring Fundraising Trek to Annapurna
TBD 2026 NSF Fundraising Dinner

TO DONATE TO NSF

Please consider donating at www.nepalspinefoundation.com.

Contact Michi Wohns to sign up for the trek or if you are interested in volunteering.