Ambassadors
Climbers Against Cancer are lucky to have a number of dedicated ambassadors from the climbing world who all believe passionately in our project and actively promote the charity. These people selflessly represent CAC across the world at climbing events and fundraisers to raise awareness and encourage others to participate.
Molly Thompson-Smith
Athlete Ambassador
Olympian Molly Thompson-Smith knew our Founder John Ellison before he had his cancer diagnosis, before the idea of CAC took shape, from her days in the GB Youth Team. He was a close family friend, and she would see him at competitions and outside of climbing. Molly looks forward to honouring his memory as an Athlete Ambassador.
Siebe Vanhee
Athlete Ambassador
Siebe Vanhee, the Belgian Big Wall Climber, is known in the climbing community for his ability to climb on his maximum limit on the hardest big walls and in the most uncomfortable environments. He will perform his hardest climbing grades on a big wall, in the cold and if some storm is rolling in, he climbs even better. The combination of adventure, out of comfort and heady, hard climbing is what he is searching for. Siebe has climbed first ascents and first free ascents in the most remote places on earth, searching for adventure and companionship with his teammates. Since 2019 his focus shifted from adventurous big walls to hard multipitch climbing. In the last years he climbed Europe’s biggest multipitch test pieces. Although he couldn’t let go of the adventure completely, together with his team he made the successful first free ascent of the mythical big wall climb Riders on the Storm in Torres del Paine, Chile.
Tom Randall
Athlete Ambassador
Tom Randall is the founder of Lattice Training, a renowned climbing coach and also one half of ‘The Wide Boyz’ along with fellow CAC Athlete Ambassador Pete Whittaker. He is no stranger to training hard, pushing boundaries and achieving impressive goals. Tom made the first ascent of Century Crack (5,14b) in Utah, USA, as well as the first ascent of The Kraken (V13) in Devon, England. He also achieved the speed record of the Brown & Whillans 24hr challenge, climbing all the routes on the eastern and western edges of the Peak District National Park with partner, Pete Whittaker. Tom still retains ambitious personal climbing goals; to climb 9a sport and trad climb beyond 9a. He is a passionate and enthusiastic coach, with good energy for helping others who loves being able to pass on all he has learned in his years as a professional climber to positively impact other peoples’ training and climbing progression.
Adam Ondra
Czech Athlete Ambassador
Adam Ondra is widely regarded as one of the greatest climbers in the world. A true climbing phenomenon, Adam began scaling walls almost as soon as he could walk, and has been pushing the boundaries of human capability ever since.
He is a four-time World Champion in sport climbing—earning three gold medals in lead climbing and one in bouldering—and a two-time European Champion in lead climbing. Adam has represented the Czech Republic at two Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, finishing sixth in the combined discipline on both occasions.
Beyond the competitive arena, Adam has achieved legendary status for his outdoor climbing feats. In 2016, he made an extraordinarily fast repeat of the world-renowned multi-pitch climb Dawn Wall in Yosemite, completing it in just eight days. The following year, he established Silence in Norway, the world’s first route graded 9c, which remains one of the most challenging climbs ever completed. In 2022, he added to his legacy by conquering Zvěřinec (9b+), the hardest route in Czechia and the second-toughest of his career.
Today, Adam continues to inspire climbers around the world, not only through his achievements but also by promoting sport climbing to a broader audience. He enjoys sharing this journey with his wife Iva and their young son Hugo.
Pete Whittaker
Athlete Ambassador
Pete is one of the world’s top big wall solo climbers. In 2016 he made the first solo-free ascent of El Capitan (3000ft) in under 24hrs. In 2018, he made a sub 24hr solo of both El Capitan and Half Dome (5000ft). Then in 2020 he made the first free solo of Kjerag (900m) in Norway. Along with fellow CAC Ambassador Tom Randall, Pete has made it his mission to climb the world’s hardest crack climbs. Establishing and repeating the most difficult lines in every crack size. Aside from climbing Pete continues to bring awareness and teach crack climbing globally, through the crack climbing community at Wide Boyz.
Jesse Dufton
Athlete Ambassador
Jesse is a blind rock climber. He is best known as the first blind person to lead climb the Old Man of Hoy, which is the focus of Alastair Lee’s multi award winning documentary ‘Climbing Blind’ and has been recognised as a Guinness World Record. The Old Man of Hoy is however only a part of the extensive roster of hard traditional a.k.a “trad” rock climbs he has completed. As well as this, he is also the first blind person to claim 1st ascents in the Arctic, and a world class competition climber representing the GB Paraclimbing team.
Finlay Wild
Athlete Ambassador
Finlay Wild is a Scottish hill runner and mountaineer best known for his twelve-in-a-row wins at the Ben Nevis Race, his Cuillin Ridge Traverse record, and former two times British Fell Running Champion titles. He is also a multiple times British Ski Mountaineering Champion and has had strong finishes in World Skyrunning Series races, including setting a new record at Trofeo Kima race in Italy. In 2020 he broke the Ramsay’s Round record, and in 2024 regained the Tranter’s Round record in his home mountains. He lives in Fort William, Scotland, where he is a GP, so brings an additional insight into the importance of finding a cure for cancer and helping people live with and beyond the disease. www.gomountaingoats.com
Kenton Cool
Athlete Ambassador
Kenton Cool is one of the world’s leading high-altitude climbers and avid adventurers. He’s climbed Mount Everest 16 times along with many other mountain peaks around the globe, including the ‘seven summits’ – the highest mountains on each of the seven traditional continents. He is also the only Brit to ski down two 8,000m peaks. Kenton is an IFMGA qualified mountain guide and he revels in guiding clients up iconic climbs and to the summits of mountains all over the world. [The attached photo of Kenton with his CAC t-shirt was taken at the South pole in -38c. Hence him holding it and not wearing it!]
Tom Livingstone
Athlete Ambassador
Tom Livingstone is a climber, writer and photographer, originally from the south of England. He has a penchant for trad, winter and alpine climbing – the bigger and badder, the better. Tom is an acclaimed outdoor writer, and you can read some of his published pieces here. His writing has appeared nationally and internationally, in print and online. Sir Chris Bonington said: ‘Tom Livingstone, one of the finest climbers in the world, always using the purest techniques.’ In 2019, Tom was awarded the Piolet d’Or (Golden Ice Axe) for his ascent of Latok I with Aleš Česen and Luka Stražar.
StaSa Gejo
Athlete Ambassador
Her father, Slobadan Gejo, is both a sport and an alpine climber. Her mother, Vesna Pavlovic, was successfully competing in sport climbing until 2006, and for her results on Balkan climbing competitions she is categorized as an internationally ranked athlete. Sister, Ana Gejo, is a mulitple National champion in sport cimbling and a winner of many medals in Balkan competitions. Stasa Gejo has been training sport climbing since a very young age (since 2004) in Nis’s sports climbing club P.A.E.K. “Nis” is a Serbian national sport climbing team centre. She currently lives in Slovenia, in Maribor, where she is coached by Gorazd Hren within the C-team. In the last few years she is mostly focused on bouldering competitions, and in the outdoors she also prefers routes over boulders.
Alexandar Megos
German Athlete Ambassador
The 31 year old German climber Alex Megos really intended to become a professional climber. With onsighting the world’s first 9a (5.14d) everything changed though. Since then Alex has climbed more than 120 9a’s, did 9a+ in a day and also made the first ascent of many routes up to 9b+.
He took part in the Olympic Games twice and also won a world cup in 2018.
One of his latest projects is the Frankenjura Academy, his new gym in the heart of the Frankenjura.
Solenne Piret
Athlete Ambassador
I’m a professional climber with the curious distinction of having been born without a right forearm. I come from a family of climbers, having started climbing as a child in Fontainebleau at weekends and in the Alps during the holidays. I’ve been competing in the sport since 2018, and have won the last four World Championships in my category. I recently moved to the Hautes-Alpes to be closer to the mountains and broaden my horizons.
Campbell Harrison
Athlete Ambassador
Campbell Harrison is a professional Sport Climber from Melbourne, Australia. As a member of the Australian National Team since 2012, he has travelled all over the world competing on the IFSC World Cup circuit. In November, 2023 Campbell won Combined event at the Oceania Continental Qualifier and earned himself a ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris! His other career highlights include multiple national championship titles and 4 World Cup semi-final placings. With breast cancer running in Campbell’s family, he is passionate in his advocacy for a cure, as well as raising awareness for early diagnosis.
Sebastian Musson
Athlete Ambassador
My name is Sebastian Musson and I am a para climber for GB climbing. I started climbing at the age of 13 in 2019 and was quickly introduced to competition climbing by fellow CAC ambassadors Anita Aggarwal. Since I started competing I have won multiple British championships and earned a variety of medals on the international stage. I am an AU2 category para climber meaning amputee upper which is a limb difference from the elbow to the wrist. I am now focusing on the international season including World Cup and world championship events, alongside the recent addition of paraclimbing at the Paralympic Games.
Nicole Berthod
Athlete Ambassador
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, and have gone through every stage of treatment, including several surgeries, six months of chemotherapy and a month and a half of radiotherapy. During my journey, I’ve really grasped the importance of community and the strength of friendship. Friends pick us up when we’re down and carry us when we can no longer walk. By joining CAC as an ambassador, I hope that I too can contribute to this community and give strength, through my personal story, to people who need it.
Both during and after treatment, nature and movement have always been a source of renewal and have helped me to find energy, motivation, pleasure and normality in difficult times. I hope I can also show that illness doesn’t prevent us from connecting with what we love and what makes us feel good.
Some of my friends haven’t been as lucky as I have, and some have lost their lives to cancer. I also want to be able to pay tribute to them through my role as ambassador. I’m very happy today to be able to join the great family of climbers against cancer and to start this new adventure with them, with you!”
Dani Andrada
Athlete Ambassador
I’m Dani Andrada. Since I started climbing in the late ‘80s, this sport has become my passion and way of life. Over the years, I’ve seen cancer affect people very close to me—my father, my uncles, friends… Some are no longer here, and my sister Sari continues to face the disease with admirable strength.
I believe that support and visibility are essential—not only when illness touches us personally, but always. That’s why being an ambassador for Climbers Against Cancer is my way of contributing, helping to give a voice and support to those who need it.
Because every gesture counts, and together, we can make a difference.
Sara Andrada
Ambassador
I am Sara Andrada, a breast cancer patient since 2012 and living with metastases since 2018. My journey with climbing began thanks to my brother Dani, who, in his early days, encouraged me to try some routes and discover bouldering. But beyond the technique, what he truly gave me was a deep connection with the mountains and breathtaking places of incredible beauty. Over the years, I have enjoyed different sports, always adapting to my body and circumstances. Since living with cancer, movement has become my greatest ally. Exercise helps me ease the side effects of treatments and makes me feel stronger, more present. Nowadays, I practise yoga and find refuge in mountain walks, where I can breathe, explore, and keep collecting meaningful moments. In recent years, I have discovered something even more valuable than climbing itself: the solidarity within this world. Thanks to Álex from Climbskin, I have had the privilege of seeing firsthand the commitment and unwavering support of the climbing community—people who, beyond the sport, reach out and strive to make the path easier for others. Being part of Climbers Against Cancer is both an honour and a joy. As a patient, I know that every step, every effort, and every gesture matters. And because, in some way, we are all still climbing towards LIFE. Climbers Against Cancer continues to push forward, supporting research into various types of cancer. Because the real challenge is to keep moving ahead, keep climbing, and open new routes towards a future filled with more hope.
