Hi,
I am undertaking my first independent Alpine Climb this summer and have the Objective to Climb Mont Blanc via the Gouter route. I have the Hut booked, undertaken training with ISM, and have been plodding the local hills (as well as those in Scotland and N Wales) as preparation.
I am one of three siblings who have had Cancer, none of which are genetically linked nor linked to smoking (non smoker). It's just the luck of the draw, but between 1 in 3, and 1 in 2 of us will be on the wrong side of that draw at some point in our lives.
I was 53 when I was diagnosed with bowl cancer, a 9 cm stage 3 lession in my lower bowl. As a climber this diagnosis scared the Sh** out of me, as I thougt I would never climb again. However, after Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation therapy I have now been in remission for 4 years, and am back climbing. Although I still have issues that need to be managed e.g: lack of stamina, poor food absorbtion, frequent and urgent need for the loo etc; I am getting back to normal.
However as I recovered my kid sister, Susan was diagnosed with stomach Cancer; Unfortunately treatment did not go so well for Sue and she suffered badly in reaction to the Chemo and succumbed to Pneumonia.
At about the same time that I fell ill Climbers against Cancer was set up by John Ellinson. John was an inpiration and showed what can be done, if we take up the challange. Well I'd like to do more than buy the odd t-shirt, so in part I am doing this to raise funds for CAC. However it does not stop there. There are two further charities that i'd like to support:
For both Susan and I, Macmillan played a big role in supporting and helping both of us through some of the darkest of days. Hence I shall be raising funds for them also.
Finally, but not least : Surgery is still by far the most effective intervention for Hard cancers, but not all cancers or cancer stages can be treated in this way. Additional targeted drugs are required to really boost efficay; but they are expensive to develop and the commercial market is small (as they are targeted). So without socially funded Research, big pharma will not invest (at least until they can see a particular treatment may have a commercial return).
please could I ask you to visit my Just giving page:
https://www.justgiving.com/teams/PaulMontBlancClimb
I would be very gratefull for any donation no matter how small to any of my charities or just for some words of encouragement.
Thans for reading.
Paul/Geras