An expedition of 28 breast cancer survivors and individuals affected by the disease scaled 14,162 foot Mt. Shasta and raised $450,000 for breast cancer prevention on June 24 during the 2009 Climb Against the Odds. The story’s on page Contributed photo of climbers ascending Mt. Shasta by Linda Morton
Climb Against the Odds raises nearly half a million for Breast Cancer Fund
An expedition of 28 breast cancer survivors and individuals affected by the disease scaled 14,162 foot Mt. Shasta for breast cancer prevention on June 24. The Breast Cancer Fund announced that fund-raising efforts associated with the 2009 Climb Against the Odds raised more than $450,000. Mostly first-time climbers, the team underwent six months of rigorous training in regional teams in order to move past their experiences with breast cancer, honor loved ones touched by the disease, and to support the Breast Cancer Fund’s work to eliminate the environmental causes of the disease, according to a press release. The 2009 Climb Against the Odds team was comprised of both women and men, ranging in age from 27 to 62, from nine states including Arizona, California, Florida, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Seven climbers were cancer survivors and others made the climb to honor close family and friends who have faced this devastating disease. The team began their ascent of Mt. Shasta on Tuesday afternoon, leaving from the trailhead for Hidden Valley base camp at 9,400 feet. The team departed base camp in rope teams of five to six people between 2 and 4 a.m. on Wednesday morning. By noon, 21 of the 28 climbers had reached the summit at 14,162 feet and everyone had safely returned to base camp by 5 p.m. After a night of rest at base camp, they returned to the town of Mount Shasta to celebrate with friends, family and the local community. “Climb Against the Odds participants have gone to great heights – literally and figuratively – to honor their own and their loved ones’ experiences with breast cancer, and to promote prevention,” said Jeanne Rizzo, RN, president of the Breast Cancer Fund. “We are truly honored to have such extraordinary and passionate women and men committed to taking one step at a time to stop this disease before it starts.” In the United States, a woman’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is an alarming 1 in 8, and no more than 1 in 10 women with breast cancer has a genetic history of the disease. Scientific evidence points to toxic chemicals and radiation as factors for the high rates of the disease. Founded in 1992, the Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization working to identify and eliminate the environmental and other preventable causes. Climb Against the Odds 2009 was the Breast Cancer Fund’s 10th team of breast survivors and supporters to climb for prevention, and the sixth team to climb on Mt. Shasta. This climb will follow in the tradition of the Breast Cancer Fund’s past expeditions on Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina in 1995, Mt. McKinley, Alaska in 1998, Mt Fuji in Japan in 2000, Mt. Rainier, Wash. in 2005 and Mt. Shasta in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. For more information, visit www.breastcancerfund. org
An expedition of 28 breast cancer survivors and individuals affected by the disease scaled 14,162 foot Mt. Shasta for breast cancer prevention on June 24. The Breast Cancer Fund announced that fund-raising efforts associated with the 2009 Climb Against the Odds raised more than $450,000. Mostly first-time climbers, the team underwent six months of rigorous training in regional teams in order to move past their experiences with breast cancer, honor loved ones touched by the disease, and to support the Breast Cancer Fund’s work to eliminate the environmental causes of the disease, according to a press release. The 2009 Climb Against the Odds team was comprised of both women and men, ranging in age from 27 to 62, from nine states including Arizona, California, Florida, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Seven climbers were cancer survivors and others made the climb to honor close family and friends who have faced this devastating disease. The team began their ascent of Mt. Shasta on Tuesday afternoon, leaving from the trailhead for Hidden Valley base camp at 9,400 feet. The team departed base camp in rope teams of five to six people between 2 and 4 a.m. on Wednesday morning. By noon, 21 of the 28 climbers had reached the summit at 14,162 feet and everyone had safely returned to base camp by 5 p.m. After a night of rest at base camp, they returned to the town of Mount Shasta to celebrate with friends, family and the local community. “Climb Against the Odds participants have gone to great heights – literally and figuratively – to honor their own and their loved ones’ experiences with breast cancer, and to promote prevention,” said Jeanne Rizzo, RN, president of the Breast Cancer Fund. “We are truly honored to have such extraordinary and passionate women and men committed to taking one step at a time to stop this disease before it starts.” In the United States, a woman’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is an alarming 1 in 8, and no more than 1 in 10 women with breast cancer has a genetic history of the disease. Scientific evidence points to toxic chemicals and radiation as factors for the high rates of the disease. Founded in 1992, the Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization working to identify and eliminate the environmental and other preventable causes. Climb Against the Odds 2009 was the Breast Cancer Fund’s 10th team of breast survivors and supporters to climb for prevention, and the sixth team to climb on Mt. Shasta. This climb will follow in the tradition of the Breast Cancer Fund’s past expeditions on Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina in 1995, Mt. McKinley, Alaska in 1998, Mt Fuji in Japan in 2000, Mt. Rainier, Wash. in 2005 and Mt. Shasta in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. For more information, visit www.breastcancerfund. org
This Shasta Lily just opened up this morning
