Climb Against the Odds: Celebrating Survival on the MountainIt is extraordinary for a woman to receive a breast cancer diagnosis, go through treatment, and survive to tell the story. But to then celebrate survival by embarking on a grueling mountain climb? That takes a truly remarkable woman. Climb Against the Odds documents the inspiring story of a group of such women who joined The Breast Cancer Fund to raise awareness and money for the fight against breast cancer by endeavoring to climb some of the worlds most daunting peaks. They climbed Mt. Acongagua (23,000 feet), Mt. McKinley (20,300 feet), and Mt. Fuji (12,389 feet), putting their post-cancer bodies and their indomitable spirits through a journey that changed them all. Featuring compelling interviews, joyful photographs, resources, and information about the struggle against breast cancer, Climb Against the Odds is timed to release with The Breast Cancer Funds fourth mountain climb, held on the 14,162-foor volcanic peak of Mt. Shasta. The thrill of scaling impossible mountains, the triumph of beating a lethal disease, and the anguish of losing loved ones come together in this amazing journey of grace over mountains metaphoric and real. |
Contents
Acknowledgments | 8 |
Introduction | 10 |
PART | 15 |
Aconcagua + Expedition Inspiration 16 Chapter 1+ The First Step | 16 |
Chapter 2 + Meet the Teams | 26 |
Chapter 3 + The Uphill Battle | 42 |
Chapter 4 + Echoes from the Mountain | 54 |
Common terms and phrases
39 years old AGE AT CLIMB AGE AT DIAGNOSIS Alan Kearney altitude altitude sickness Andrea Ravinett Martin Anne Foster Annette Porter Applied Materials Ashley Sumner-Cox backpack base camp biopsy body Breast Cancer Fund breast cancer survivors California AGE California SUPPORTER MOUNTAIN Cathy Ann Taylor challenge chemotherapy Claudia Berryman-Shafer climbers Deborah Ann Cohen Denali diagnosed with breast disease doctor Expedition Inspiration experience feet Fuji climb hiking Iris Lancaster Ittner JanSport Japanese Katie Gamble knew Laura Evans Linda Rinaldi lump Marcy Ely-Wilson Marmot Mary Ann Castimore mastectomy Michele Potkin Mount Aconcagua Mount Fuji Mount McKinley Mount Rainier Nancy Bellen Nancy Johnson Nancy Knoble Norma Jean Norma Jean McKeldin Odds old AGE old MOUNTAIN CLIMBED Outdoor Paul Delorey Peter Whittaker prayer flags recalls right breast Roberta Fama Sandy Badillo says shakedown climb Smartwool snow Summit Team SUPPORTER MOUNTAIN CLIMBED Talkeetna team members Trek Team Vicki Boriak