Content advisory: This article contains sensitive material relating to personal health and lived experiences which some readers may find emotionally triggering.
When life gives you lemons, and when life gives you ‘an Everest’, the question becomes not ‘what happens?’, but how you respond.
‘When Life Gives You Lemons… Everyone’s Everest’ is a documentary produced by Army veteran and filmmaker Tom McShane that brings those ideas together through the lived experience of fellow Army veteran, mental health campaigner, adventure athlete, and former physiotherapist Sally Orange MBE, as she navigates a breast cancer diagnosis alongside extreme endurance challenges, including the Mount Everest Marathon.
Sally is a former Army Major whose life has spanned military service, healthcare, and endurance sport. Following her cancer diagnosis, she continued to take on physically demanding challenges while openly sharing her experience of illness, treatment, and recovery. Her journey reflects a wider story of resilience and what it means to keep moving forward when life changes without warning.
Tom McShane is an Army veteran, award-winning photographer and filmmaker whose career has taken him from embedding with military units in Iraq to leading major expeditions such as ‘Walking the Nile’. Through his production company, Adventure In Focus, he specialises in capturing human stories in extreme environments, combining operational experience with a focus on resilience, endurance, and lived reality.
We sat down with Sally, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, a Veteran Aware accredited healthcare organisation, to talk about her experience of diagnosis and endurance challenges, and with Tom McShane about his background in the British Army, his work as a filmmaker in extreme environments, and the making of ‘When Life Gives You Lemons… Everyone’s Everest’.
Can you share your experience at Salisbury Hospital and how the care you received shaped your journey?
As someone who spent over two decades caring for others as a physiotherapist, it was strange to be on the other side. From the moment I received my breast cancer diagnosis, the team at Salisbury Hospital were fantastic, treating me with professionalism, compassion, and humanity. It was obvious that they recognised there was a person behind the diagnosis with real fears, hopes, and ambitions.
The care I received helped give me confidence during one of the most uncertain periods of my life, as every member of staff, be that the consultant, nurses or support staff, all played a role in helping me feel informed, respected, and supported. They truly embodied the fact that healthcare is far more than just treating a condition and that it’s about treating the whole person.
Being treated at a Veteran Aware accredited organisation — how did that influence your perspective on healthcare for the Armed Forces community?
As a former Army Major and someone who remains deeply connected to the Armed Forces community, I understand that military service can have lifelong impacts on both physical and mental health. Knowing that Salisbury Hospital is Veteran Aware gave me confidence that staff understood the unique experiences and challenges veterans may bring with them.
It reinforced the importance of recognising service history as part of a person’s healthcare journey. Veteran Aware accreditation sends a powerful message that those who have served are understood, valued, and supported and it demonstrates a commitment to ensuring veterans receive the best possible care and signposting to relevant support services.
Facing a cancer diagnosis is life changing. What were the hardest moments, and how did you find the strength to push through?
The hardest moment was hearing the words, “You have cancer.” No matter how resilient you believe yourself to be, a cancer diagnosis instantly changes your perspective and throws up feelings of uncertainty, fear, and a definite loss of control.
What helped me was focusing on what I could control. I drew on lessons from my military career, my experience living with mental illness, and the support of family, friends, and healthcare professionals. I didn’t try to be strong every minute of every day, but instead focused on taking one step at a time, accepting help when I needed it, and finding purpose in sharing my journey to help others feel less alone.
How did your health journey influence the way you approached extreme physical challenges, like the Mount Everest Marathon and Ironman triathlons?
I’ve always believed that endurance challenges are about far more than physical fitness and are more about mindset, resilience, and adapting when circumstances change.
My cancer diagnosis reinforced that lesson. Trekking to Everest Base Camp dressed as a giant boob and then running the Everest Marathon dressed as a lime, as well as the other challenges I have taken on, has never been about proving I am invincible. It’s always been more about showing that difficult circumstances don’t have to define us. Some days success means reaching a summit or crossing a finish line yet other days, success simply means showing up, getting out of bed, or attending a treatment appointment. Cancer has given me an even greater appreciation for every opportunity to challenge myself and celebrate what my body can still do, something that is also captured throughout the documentary.
As a former physiotherapist and Army Major, how did your medical and military background shape your approach to treatment, recovery, and rehabilitation?
My physiotherapy background helped me understand the clinical aspects of treatment and recovery, while my military experience taught me the value of preparation, discipline, and adaptability.
However, being a healthcare professional can also prove to be quite challenging because you understand the potential complications and uncertainties. I had to learn when to be the clinician and when to simply be the patient. Most importantly though, both careers have taught me the importance of teamwork and I very much know that recovery is never achieved alone. It definitely requires trust in healthcare professionals, support from loved ones, and the courage to ask for help when needed, which can be tough at times.
What advice would you give to others undergoing treatment or facing major personal or health challenges?
Firstly, be kind to yourself. You do not have to be positive all the time, and you do not have to face challenges alone.
Secondly, focus on the next step rather than the entire journey as looking too far ahead can feel overwhelming. Breaking challenges into smaller, manageable pieces makes them easier to face. I likened my treatment to an Ironman triathlon, with the surgery being the swim, as that’s the shortest element, the chemotherapy the cycle, because it’s long and drawn out and then the radiotherapy was just the marathon at the end, something you just have to get through to finish. The ongoing targeted and hormone therapy is the ongoing training!
Finally, remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whether it’s family, friends, healthcare professionals, charities, or peer support groups, there are always people who genuinely want to help.
Sharing your story publicly can be powerful. How has being part of the documentary film affected your own healing and your mission to inspire others?
Being part of the documentary has given me the chance to reflect on my journey in a way I hadn’t before. Revisiting some of the difficult moments wasn’t always easy, but it reminded me how far I’ve come and how much support I’ve had along the way. These moments came to form the emotional backbone of the film.
It has also given me a real sense of purpose at a time when cancer has forced me to cancel or change many of the plans and challenges that I had been looking forward to. Having something positive to focus on and a way to continue making a difference has been incredibly important for my own wellbeing.
I’ve always believed that sharing our stories can help others feel less alone, and this documentary has reinforced that. If someone watches it and feels more hopeful, seeks support for their mental health, or feels encouraged to talk about what they’re going through, then it’s been worthwhile.
From a cancer perspective, I also hope it encourages people to check themselves and seek medical advice if something doesn’t feel right. If just one person spots a symptom earlier or books an appointment because of something they’ve seen in the film, then sharing my story will have been worth it. That’s how we change lives, through conversations, awareness, and action.
Were there moments in your journey that redefined what courage and resilience mean to you?
Absolutely. I used to associate courage with standing on a start line, tackling extreme environments, or pushing through physical discomfort.
Cancer has taught me that courage can also mean sitting in a hospital waiting room, facing difficult conversations, accepting uncertainty, or allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Resilience isn’t about never struggling, it’s about continuing to move forward despite the struggle. Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is admit we’re finding things hard and ask for support.
What motivates you to continue setting ambitious goals, even after facing serious health challenges?
Goals give me a sense of purpose and they remind me that life is still full of possibilities, regardless of the obstacles we encounter, something that also continues through the narrative of the documentary.
I also recognise that many people look to my story for encouragement. If they see someone navigating mental illness, cancer, and life’s challenges while continuing to pursue meaningful goals, perhaps it gives them permission to believe in their own potential too. My motivation comes from gratitude, curiosity, and a desire to make a positive difference.
If you could leave the world with one message about determination, hope, or the power of the human spirit, what would it be?
Life rarely goes according to plan and we all face setbacks, disappointments, and challenges that we never expected.
But our circumstances do not define us and what really matters is how we respond. We are often far stronger than we realise, especially when we allow others to support us and we need to keep taking the next step, no matter how small. Hope isn’t about knowing everything will be easy, it’s about believing that, even in difficult times, there is still a path forward.
If my journey, and the documentary that tells it, has taught me anything, it’s that resilience grows through adversity, conversations save lives, and there is always reason to keep going.
What inspired you to tell Sally’s story in ‘When Life Gives You Lemons: Everyone’s Everest’, and what drew you to her journey of resilience and determination?
As an expedition leader, I’ve seen first-hand how the outdoors can be a powerful catalyst for healing, both physically and mentally. For a long time, I wanted to translate that experience into a film, using Everest as a metaphor. We don’t all stand on a physical summit, but we all have an ‘Everest’ in our lives, that one climb that feels insurmountable.
I’ve known Sally for years and have always been moved by her mission. What drew me to her journey specifically was how she meets adversity with humour. It takes a special kind of resilience to spark a serious conversation about mental health while dressed as a lemon or a strawberry!
The real ‘meant to be’ moment happened at the Cenotaph. We were both marching as veterans when I told her, ‘Sally, you need a film.’ When she told me shortly after that she was planning to tackle the Everest Marathon, everything clicked. It was the perfect synergy of her message and my world; taking her mission to the top of the world!
How did you approach capturing both Sally’s incredible physical feats and her deeply personal moments in a way that feels authentic and compelling for viewers?
We didn’t want to film a superhuman; we wanted to film a human. Sally isn’t an elite athlete or someone of immense privilege, she is truly authentic, and that includes showing her vulnerable and fragile sides. By capturing those deeply personal moments alongside the physical grind of the Everest Marathon, we created something people can actually connect with. The goal was to show that resilience doesn’t mean being fearless; it means being brave enough to keep going even when you feel small. We hope that by seeing Sally’s ‘extra-ordinary’ journey, viewers feel inspired to take their own first steps.
Were there any challenges during filming Sally’s journey, whether logistical, emotional, or creative, that shaped how the documentary ultimately came together?
We dealt with the usual challenges such as fundraising, the thin air of the Himalayas, and the brutal cold, but the real ‘Everest’ appeared when Sally was diagnosed with cancer during filming. It threw everything into question. We had to pivot our entire production around her treatment and scans, but that struggle ultimately made the film essential.
Seeing her navigate that diagnosis with such honesty and vulnerability gave the message of the film total validation. It showed that the resilience we were filming was real, raw, and happening in real-time. The marathon became a secondary goal; the primary mission was showing that even when life hits you with the unthinkable, you can still find the strength to take the next step.
How has your own experience as an Army veteran influenced the way you approached telling Sally’s story, and did it give you a unique perspective on her journey?
As an Army veteran, I’ve spent much of my life operating in high-pressure, high-risk environments where teamwork, discipline and adaptability are essential. That experience has shaped the way I approach both filmmaking and storytelling.
It was deeply important to me to champion the success and the incredible assets that service people bring to society. There is often a misconception that veterans are a ‘drain,’ and I wanted to flip that script. We wanted to show that the values we learn in the military; resilience, ethics, and a ‘get it done’ attitude translate perfectly into everyday life.
That said, we made a conscious choice not to go ‘too hard’ on the military messaging. We wanted it to be subtle, mirroring how veterans exist in the real world: you might not know the person next to you served, but you’ll certainly notice their quiet professionalism and reliability. While this film was made by veterans, supported by veteran-owned businesses, and features veterans, it isn’t just a ‘military film.’ It’s a film for everyone that just happens to be powered by the veteran community.
What do you hope audiences take away from Sally’s story, both in terms of inspiration and understanding the realities of facing life changing challenges?
The goal of Everyone’s Everest is transformation. It’s an emotive journey, but it’s backed by a practical framework, the NHS 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing. We want people to look at Sally and say, “If she can do it, I can.”
We’ve already seen it happen: one of our first viewers went from four years of inactivity to walking 3km and signing up for a half-marathon immediately after watching the film. That’s the ‘so what’ of this film. It’s about taking Sally’s vulnerability and turning it into the audience’s strength. We aren’t just telling a story; we’re giving people the tools to start their own climb.
How did collaborating with Sally influence your perspective as a filmmaker, and what did you learn from her story that you think will resonate with viewers?
This collaboration taught me that the heart of a great documentary isn’t just the footage; it’s the trust between the filmmaker and the subject. We were filming Sally during some of her most traumatic moments through her mental health battles and her cancer diagnosis, and I was very conscious of not being voyeuristic.
By prioritising her well-being over the production schedule, we created a space where she could be truly authentic and raw. I learned that when a subject feels safe, their story has ten times the impact. What will resonate with viewers isn’t just her physical feat of the Everest Marathon, but the courage it took for her to be so vulnerable on screen. It’s a lesson in the power of ‘real’ over ‘perfect’.
What runs through both conversations is not a shared narrative, but a shared outlook shaped by experience, service, and the realities of life when it stops following a predictable path. For Sally, that means navigating cancer while continuing to redefine what strength looks like day to day. For Tom, it means using filmmaking to capture those moments honestly, without losing sight of the person at the centre of the story.
‘When Life Gives You Lemons… Everyone’s Everest’ brings those perspectives together in a single documentary, but the meaning of the story extends beyond the screen, into how resilience is understood, challenged, and lived in real time.
For more information about the documentary, visit https://www.everyoneseverest.com/.
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