Most people have been affected by cancer in one way or another. Whether it’s through a family or friend, or even a personal battle. Share your story here and let others know they’re not alone in the climb against cancer.
If you worry you die if you do not worry you will still die, so why worry? Told me many years ago by a good friend called Paddy Lambe My name is Steve 'Brick' I have been a climber, walker, and skier since 1968. I was a member of a local climbing club in Blackpool…
Read moreIt was autumn of 2007, when I was informed that I had breast cancer. Although it was low-grade, I agreed with my doctor’s advice to totally remove my right breast because of the diagnosis that showed spreading calcification along with cancer. After the surgery, my right arm could hardly move upward and it made it…
Read moreFontainebleau, Sept '11. Felt knackered. First day 7a, second day, 6c+, end of the week not even 6a. Had to stay at a campsite because I really needed the loo. Back in Blighty, took a massive whipper at Ravensdale and took the brunt with my backside. From then on I had a bad back that…
Read moreMany years ago, I had the pleasure of working for the city of Kennesaw, GA (USA). A personal mentor of mine, Bill Thrash, was someone who guided me through every step of the way. He was an active man in the city as a councilman and mentor to youth all over the city. He facilitated…
Read moreOne year ago a simple umbilical hernia saved my life. During a routine surgery to repair it, a strange mucous was found that turned out to be cancerous. After an appendectomy and visits to several oncologists, I was diagnosed with Appendix Cancer or more specifically Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Appendix. Basically this is a mucous…
Read moreI've been wanting to shave my head in aid of Cancer Research UK since I was about 15 years old (I'm now 21) after the shock of finding out that my boyfriend at the time had lost his mother to cancer. After meeting too much counter argument for my under-developed conviction to fight against, I…
Read moreIn August 2012 I celebrated my 50th birthday climbing around the Stripsenjoch Hutte in the Wilde Kaiser in Austria – I felt great apart from symptoms that I associated with ageing and IBS (persistent pain in the abdomen, feeling that my guts were bursting out of my tummy, weeing more often, diarrhea.. ) A few…
Read moreYou chose your cancer well.... They were the words of my surgeon, and he was right, not that I chose cancer at all, but testicular cancer would be the one to have. My right nad may disagree were it still here. I owe a lot to my cancer though, which may sound a little strange…
Read moreI did some rock climbing in my early twenties, mostly bouldering, although there was some roped climbs. In my mid to late twenties, I focused more on cycling, and not so much on climbing. Just after my 30th birthday I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. It was located in my salivary gland,…
Read moreBack in April of 2012, my mom was diagnosed with ampullary carcinoma. Since then, she has gone through chemo and radiation treatments, but she was too weak to finish the treatments so they stopped. They have considered every option, but they cannot go forward with anything because she also has liver cirrhosis. They say that…
Read moreWhen I found out my mother had cancer that was the beginning of my new hobby climbing! I decided to show her that if I could climb mountains with a bad back then she could also climb her own mountain fighting cancer. Although sadly she has now died her illness and bravery inspired me to…
Read moreMy uncle recently lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed with stage 4 in December, and passed away on February 1. I am an avid climber, and he was always quite the outdoorsman. I once told him that I would take him climbing, but we never got the opportunity. He would spend days,…
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