In two days I'll be joining Sean Patrick and my team, Team Bury the Dragon, in Salt Lake City for the 6th annual Climb 4 Life benefiting the HERA Women's Cancer Foundation.
Recently, in an effort to raise awareness for the Ovarian Cancer and the HERA Foundation, I was interviewed by a local television station about the upcoming event. During the interview I was asked to explain the connection between climbing and fighting cancer. It was difficult to put into a words. It was difficult to put into a sound bite.
The truth is climbing for a lot of us is a passion. Passions can be impossible to explain. For me, it is the perfect combination of challenges, technique, physical, and most importantly mental. It is fun, intense, and sometimes the experiences can be so incredible it is life altering. We face our fears, we push ourselves, we practice deliberate graceful moves. We are supported by our friends who are belay us -they hold our lives in their hands. The stakes are pretty high.
When I was in ovarian cancer treatment two years ago I faced similar challenges. Though I can't say it was perfect nor too much fun, I will say it was very intense. The experience was life altering. To say I faced my fears and pushed myself is an understatement. Ever move I made had to be deliberate. I couldn't have done any of it without many friends and family who supported me from the grounds of reality (opposed to chemo brain land). They belayed, they carried me, they made sure I didn't fall. To me the parallels are obvious. To me it makes perfect sense. The connection is glaring and I have to participate in the Climb4Life. I have to do everything I can to support the cause. The stakes are high.
Anyway, I'm not sure words can describe it. Eight of us, Team Bury the Dragon, will be experiencing it this year when we go out to Salt Lake City and just do it. Maybe words can't explain it.
If you are interested in experiencing it yourself, you can still sign up. If you can't make it in person but would still like to help, come with us in spirit. Belay us with your financial support. Please Donate.
All proceeds go to the HERA Foundation, a non profit, grassroots, all volunteer organization dedicated to funding cutting edge medical research for women's cancers through rock climbing events.
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