Inside Prevention

Interview with a Hero

Terrain.org recently interviewed Breast Cancer Fund Hero, Sandra Steingraber. Sandra is an author, biologist, cancer survivor and proud mother of two. She has been called the “poet laureate of the environmental health movement” and “the new Rachel Carson.” Like Carson, she paints pictures with her words to explain complex scientific processes like child development or cancer growth.  But unlike Carson, as she points out in the Terrain interview, she weaves her personal experiences with cancer, childbirth and motherhood into her exploration of the science.

That's why Sandra was a Breast Cancer Fund Hero in 2006 and it is why BCF turned to her last year to help us with our exploration into the early timing of early puberty. Over the past few years, studies have revealed that girls as young as two are entering puberty. The reports and images are deeply disturbing. For breast cancer advocates, there is something else that is disturbing: early puberty increases breast cancer risk. As a breast cancer organization focused solely on prevention, BCF knew it needed to explore this phenomenon. We asked Sandra to help. And she sure did.

                                       
Next month, BCF will release Sandra’s report, The Falling Age of Puberty: What We Know, What We Need to Know. It is the first comprehensive review of the scientific literature on the timing of puberty—she explores pubertal development and outlines nutritional, psychosocial and environmental factors that contribute to its timing. To receive a hardcopy of the Falling Age of Puberty in the mail in late August, visit breastcancerfund.org/puberty.                                                                                                                    

And be sure to check out the Terrain.org interview to hear more from Sandra on her writing, her relationship with BCF, her family and her future.

                                                  

Photo: Sandra and her children. Courtesy of Organic Valley Family of Farms.

Still in Shasta, at Least in Spirit

What a totally awe-inspiring week on Mt. Shasta. I'm still trying to put it into words for those who weren't there, to explain the force field of love and community that we created on that mountain, and how all of the climbers transformed a moment of fear and what could have been a disappointing turnaround into expressions of generosity, good fortune and compassion for all. I was blown away by their character, strength and passion.

All that love was expressed in the company of the Climbers, their friends and family, Shasta community members and the Breast Cancer Fund family at the Community Celebration dinner. Jeanne spoke about each climber and what had compelled her or him to climb a mountain for breast cancer prevention, and we each stood in turn for our moment of applause and cheers.

Then Jen and Chris of Shasta Mountain Guides introduced all the guides, including those who had blocked climbers from the boulder and those who were there in honor of their own mothers who had faced breast cancer. Many of the guides request to be on this climb year after year, and they are all part of our community, along with our supporters at The Fifth Season and many other businesses and residents in Shasta.

Finally, more than 200 people strong, we stood, held hands and under hundreds of waving prayer flags--each bearing the name of someone who has faced cancer--we called into the room all those we climbed for. There were tears, but there was also hope in the room that night.

I was honored to be part of this amazing group of climbers and colleagues. My only regret is that I can't climb again next year. But you can!

Finally, I know everyone is eager for photos (I am!), and I hope to have a few to post here in the coming days.

Welcome Home CAO 07 Team

There must be a reason why a long message I just wrote disappeared into the ether with a key stroke.  Perhaps it is a subliminal invitation for others to send messages in the comments section of this blog - telling the stories of Mt Shasta CAO 07. I really just want to thank the Team, Guides, Staff, Board,Family and Friends  for the privlege of being part of this  amazing journey and welcome you all home and into our community of Strong Voices for BCF. I know you join me in sending our collective good cheer to our two team members who are recovering from their training injuries . Our  deep gratitude to the thousands of donors and sponsors who supported the Climb - as of Friday we had reached $590,000.00 to support the work of BCF in our journey to prevent breast cancer.

Brava all and let us all keep climbing together

Jeanne

Boulder-Dashers

Ok - so it turns out that my earlier post was an under-reporting ( honestly given with the info at hand)  about the rock slide above the 'Heart' of Avalanche Gulch yesterday. A boulder perched high atop the mountain fell from its ice pedastal and came bouncing down the side of the mountain splitting into two VW bug sized pieces that cascaded down toward the area where three teams of climbers were preparing to head up to Red Banks.  High above them were two other teams who from their vantage point saw the boulder begin its descent and with Cathy Ann Taylor and guides shouting "ROCK" , the alert spread thru the teams. The guides flew into action  and with expert assessment of its trajectory, they literally pushed, pulled and shouted the teams to safety.  Their experience and the responsiveness of our climbers to their commands no doubt saved us all immeasureable heartache. Sean, the doc who was lower down w/ Jen Carr escorting a climber with altitude sickness down saw it unfold and scrambled up to assess and assist. There was some question as to Stacey Schaff's  injury by the grazing boulder and Connie Zupan's bruised ribs  from the efforts of guide Dane dramatically moving her out of harm's way  - but it turns out neither are seriously injured. Having doc Sean on the mountain backing up the EMT trained guides made the difference in the world.  I'm sure there will be many stories that come off the mountain today - from scrapes and bruises and psyche's numbed by the experience to the deep personal reflections that come from having mother nature humble us.  It would seem fitting that we create the "Royal Order of Boulder-Dashers "for all who have shared in this 2007 Climb Against the Odds journey with the team members and guides holding the  special charter member rank and the rest of us being honorary members.  I'm thinking we need some volunteers to generate graphics for it.

With deep gratitude to Jen and Chris and the Shasta Mountain Guides and to doc Sean for protecting our very precious team.  And for the butterflies that must have been up there somewhere yesterday.

Keep climbing, with love

Jeanne

Signs of support and Pizza

Imagine a room with a dozen or so round top tables for 8 covered with hotel white cloths- a fitting scene for a banquet - place every imaginable family constellation around them. Now, bring in a dozen or so boxed pizza's, ice bucket full of your-favorite-soft drinks. String tibetan prayer flags and hang a big sign: Climb Against the Odds Shasta 2007 and  then hand out crayons and markers and big poster boards. Voila !moms,dads,partners,daughters,husbands,sons,cousins,in laws, brothers, sisters, friends, grandparents, uncles,aunts and  little kids  (did I miss any?)  with the great determination of first graders  making WELCOME HOME SIGNS for their climbers. All of them personalized , many of them over the top clever. One table full of BCF Staff adopting every climber whose families were unable to travel to Shasta so that this morning at 10:30 am a contingent of cheering, loving supporters will be up at Bunny Flats to greet the dusty, tired, exuberant team.  We'll send up ' sherpas' to help carry down their heavy loads and have boxed lunches and a celebration waiting for them at the trail head.

The scene I just described greeted me as I arrived a bit late to the party, having come from the emergency room with climber Nancy Andrews who was escorted off the mountain from 13,000 +foot point on MIsery Hill. Nancy is a survivor of a rare form of eye cancer and had suddenly she lost vision in that eye. Assisted down by Jen Carr and doc Sean, her sight started to restore as she dropped altitude and we were all relieved when the doc predicted that by today the sun blindness would resolve.  Her partner Amy raced up the freeway but by 8 pm or so both of them arrived at the Sign Party to the wild cheers of the assembled crowd.   Nancy is one strong woman, dealing with what might totally freak out any of us, with a kind of grace that I imagine comes from her own inner strength and her experience with cancer.

More on the boulder-dashers later.

Jeanne R headed out for another soy latte.

The whole crew is back at Base Camp!

Ariane, Julie and Alice reporting that our climbers, including the 12 who reached the summit, are back at Base Camp, safe and sound.  From the summit, the 12 came down the West Face and into Hidden Valley, but it was a slog back to Base Camp.  All in all, seventeen hours from start to finish!  We are so eager to greet them tomorrow and look forward to meeting them at the trailhead...

Rope team turns back

We just received some clarification on a second rope team that turned around above Helen Lake, below the " Heart" .. there were two groups that were putting on their crampons when the rock fall occurred . The guides determined that the group we reported on earlier and the following climbers were to turn around as weather and conditions required erring on the side of safety.  Eight who are now safely at base camp are: Nancy Bueremeyer  ( DC), Greg Delesandre ( CA), Kristin Faurest ( Budapest, Hungary), Jennnifer Freitas ( CA) , Sarah Haden ( CA), Michelle McGowen( CA), Kim Penney ( CA) , Susan Reed ( CA)

On another note: we also just got word that Rachel Swain's surgery went well today; she is in the hospital recovering and hearing updates from the mountain from Kevin, her husband. Rachel sends her love to all her team mates.

Awaiting the rest of the team who are making their descent to base camp. Spirits are high and the story telling is in full swing.

Jeanne 

A Dozen on the Summit

Connie just called in with report that twelve members of Climb Against the Odds Mt Shasta 2007 are standing on the Summit with prayer flags flying in honor an and honor and memory of those who have faced breast cancer and those who have died of the disease.

Alice Dunning, CA, Marie DeJournette ( Hawaii) , Johanna Malen ( CA), Brooke Reindeers ( WI), Caitlin Braun ( Iowa) , Beth Krusi ( VT), LInda Morton ( WA),Erin Warren (Montana), Clara Brunner- Doeer ( Montana), Becky Fisch (NV) , Marisa Walker ( CA), CathyAnn Taylor ( CA).

On Misery Hill  headed up if all goes well for them - which is between Red Banks and the Summit Plateau ( about 13,000 feet ) Deirdre Riley (VT) , Anna Antonowich-Johnson ( Mt Shasta CA), Nancy Andrews ( CA).

More news as it comes in

Jeanne here with Julie and Chuck

Update at 11 am

G'ro hiked up to 9,000 feet to call in this report:  All thirteen climbers that were headed down to base camp have made it safely including the two climbers who took a few rocks in the rock fall - both are fine.  We do know that ten have made it to the summit and we hope to get names in the next hour or so.  There are no reports of injuries or new challenges facing the team. Weather is still quite overcast down here .

Family members are beginning to arrive and check in. Sandy, Beth's husband -; Chuck, Marie's dad from Yakima - with whom we had a great chat about jazz; Wally, Anita's husband and Kara's dad walked from wherever the Greyhound bus left him off from his all night ride from Seattle.

more soon,

Jeanne here w/ Chuck and the gang.

News from the windy mountain

All one had to do was observe the night sky ( and listen to the weather channel) to know that when our team awoke last night /this mornning shortly after midnight, they would be facing some tough weather.  Connie and GRo ( our staff at base camp) hiked to find reception to call in a report at 7:30 this morning: Heavy winds have challenged them all night along with a steady drizzle of rain.  We were concerned about rock falls, what with less snow, hotter weather and the rain served to make it much tougher.  This is the time to remind ourselves that it is about the journey- not the summit.

With the high winds and rain there was a bit of  dodging going on in the area of Trinity chutes- which is exactly why they all wear helmets. A couple of climbers were hit by  rock fall but are OK ( I did not say boulders for those of you with rampant imaginations).   Guides, our team doc Sean have attended to them and they, under their own steam are up and walking, making their way back down to base camp.  Connie Zupan ( CA)and Stacy Schaaf (VT).

Continuing on , at about 11,000 feet at the "Heart"  groups from West and East Coasts turned  around and headed back down to base camp:  Join us in honoring and celebrating the incredible effort of our team mebers who gave their all to reach heights never imagined : Carol Melberg (CA), Kirsti Spiva ( CA), Daya Fisch (CA), Nancy Cochrane(CA),Karen Ransom ( CA);Anita Nager ( NY),Kara Wentwork ( WA), Sondra Johnson, Judy Myer,( Iowa Girls), Laura Lifland ( NY), Susan Ruddick (NY).

Other rope teams are continuing up, having made it through the rock fall areas and the effects of weather and altitude. We'll keep you posted as the day goes on. Please keep them all in your hearts and honor their dedication and fortitude.

Jeanne Rizzo here w/ Ariane Trelaun and Julie Homan