An Edmonton woman has conquered a summit of more than 3,500 metres at the age of 75.
Liliana Kujundzic-Tesedic recently returned home to Edmonton from Mount Temple — one of the highest peaks in the Lake Louise area.
“It was very hard. It took me 13 hours to do 16 kilometres, so you can imagine how hard it was,” she said.
“I trained since October and I still found it very hard. There is a part where you have to lift your whole body up into a space.”
Kujundzic-Tesedic has scaled Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Everest base camp. She trains at home or on local hills.
“Until the snow falls, I am including a hike of about 30 kilometres a day in my training,” she said.
The avid hiker is willing to tackle difficult climbs, to make life easier for children. Through her climbs, she raises money for e4c, an organization that focuses on food security for kids.
“Without food and proper nutrition, children cannot study,” Kujundzic-Tesedic said. “They can’t get enough nutrition for their brains.”
Kujundzic-Tesedic worked as a pediatric nurse for a few years. She said the time she spent with kids has shaped her passion for giving back.
“I have raised $200,000 so far. I am hopeful I can raise $500,000 in my lifetime,” Kujundzic-Tesedic said. “When I stood at the top of the mountain on Aug. 21… I was just so grateful. It’s all about the kids.”
Alongside community support, various Edmonton businesses have helped the hiker raise funds over the years.
“Edmonton is truly a fabulous city. People here have big hearts.”
Kujundzic-Tesedic said she’s not yet set on her next hike, but she would love to tackle the Triple Crown hike in Canmore.
“Hopefully, even when I’m 98, I’m somewhere on top of a mountain,” she laughed.
You can donate to e4c here.
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