The courageous Ballarat woman will embark on an inspirational journey to master Australia's highest peak next month - to achieve the latest in her long list of goals.

"It's not about the mountain - it's about everything else," she said.

Ms Leemhuis had five spinal fusions after the nerve on her right leg was severed at the spinal chord 14 years ago.

"I couldn't walk, couldn't drive, couldn't shower, couldn't dress," she said.

"Then about three-and-a-half years ago the doctor said I would have to go into a wheelchair because I'd become more and more immobile.

"I said `no'. I decided to put one foot in front of the other. I thought, `How hard can that be?"'

After reaching her goal of walking 15km, Ms Leemhuis set a goal of conquering Mt Kosciuszko.

But the journey will be much more than Ms Leemhuis' own personal crusade.

Her friend and landlord, Alex Gaitan, will join her in a bid to raise much-needed funds for Ballarat's Day Oncology Unit.

The YMCA fitness instructor, who is in remission from leukaemia, had chemotherapy at the unit and wants to brighten the lives of patients who visit the centre for its vital services, with additions such as new televisions.

The duo will join YMCA instructors Matt Albiston and Jacinta Meier and two others on the November 18 trek.

Ms Leemhuis, who gives inspirational talks as a volunteer through the Wendouree West Renewal Project, wants people to heed her positive message.

"There is hope," she said.

Her own story is amazing. After her decision to fight back, Ms Leemhuis gradually began to exercise, building up to seven hours a day.

She strapped bags of rice to her ankle and repeatedly lifted her leg to strengthen her muscles and hoisted tins of baked beans to build up her biceps.

And after being largely immobile for years, Penny dropped the 37kg she had piled on after her accident.

"I changed the way I thought, really," she said.

"I changed everything. Change is a big thing. A lot of people are afraid of change, but it can be done.

"Every time I would reach a goal for myself I would set another one."

Ms Leemhuis already has two more goals on her horizon - Tasmania's Cradle Mountain and Egypt's Mt Sinai.

Donations to the oncology unit can be made to Ms Leemhuis on 0401 855 486.