Since the first expedition to Antarctica in 2006, the Test Your Limits team has climbed, paddled and biked in different parts of the world. But this year, for the first time, the Test Your Limits expedition across New Zealand’s South Island combines all three into one epic multisport adventure! From snowy summits to roaring rapids and rugged trails, the team faced each challenge with enthusiasm and resilience, all in support of heart health innovation at UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.
1. A journey unlike any other
This expedition took the team far off the beaten path, testing their endurance, teamwork and spirit. Some days began before dawn, like the 3 a.m. start for their climb of Mt. MacKenzie. Armed with “coffee, granola, and grit,” team members ascended through snow-covered terrain, roped to guides for safety and pushed past exhaustion to reach the summit. Each day in New Zealand brought a new challenge—pushing through rough water while navigating rapids and trying to stay in the raft or cycling through dry riverbeds and loose rocks while conquering tough ascents and descents. The crowning moment of the expedition was the journey to Kaitiaki Peak, tackling glacier traverses and alpine rock climbs. But, as with every other leg of the trip, the team overcame every obstacle to reach the summit and complete the Summit to Sea adventure!
2. Supporting groundbreaking research
Every step, stroke and pedal on this journey carries a purpose: advancing heart research at UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. Donations to Test Your Limits help advance innovations that ensure our team at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre can care for patients every day, wherever they are. These advancements are transforming heart care, from mechanical heart implants to AI-enabled wearable technology and the award-winning digital platform Medly, a comprehensive self-management app developed at UHN which offers patients round-the-clock care from anywhere.
3. Celebrating 25 years of resilience
This year marked a special milestone for team member Dale Shippam: 25 years since his heart transplant at UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. Dale’s determination to complete a major trek on every continent embodies the spirit of resilience that defines Test Your Limits. Whether climbing on Mt. MacKenzie or cycling rugged trails around eucalyptus and among cedar groves, Dale continues to inspire all who meet him, including his teammates.
4. Building a legacy of impact
Since its inception, Test Your Limits has raised over $4 million for heart health innovation at UHN. These funds have supported the purchase of life-saving technologies, including mechanical hearts, and contributed to research that’s helping to transform heart care. Funds raised from this year’s journey continue this mission, ensuring every challenge faced on the expedition creates a lasting impact at UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and beyond, benefiting patients and families dealing with heart disease.
5. Driven by vision and heart
At the heart of Test Your Limits is Dr. Heather Ross, Head, Division of Cardiology at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and site lead at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research. Dr. Ross is a world-renowned cardiologist and the initiative’s founder. Alongside Dale and a team of passionate adventurers, Dr. Ross leads by example, proving that resilience and teamwork can achieve the extraordinary. Dr. Ross’ mission and belief is simple: Transplant is an amazing thing but there will never be enough donated hearts. To address this we need to focus on where the issues start and get people moving and active to help them live a healthy life!
