Inside Prevention

Breast Cancer Fund celebrates 10 years scaling Mt. Shasta (Mt. Shasta Herald, 3/18/2013)

Jen Bray is a firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service and is the subject of a new article in the Mt. Shasta Herald. As this year’s “Community Climber” the money Jen raises will go toward Breast Cancer Services of Siskiyou County.

“I am inspired by survivors of cancer and the strength and passion they have for life and I vow to do more to eliminate this disease... for my children’s children,” Jen was quoted as saying in the article.  

The Breast Cancer Fund embraces mountain climbing as a metaphor for the critical work we are doing to prevent the environmental causes of this devastating disease.

This is the second year Jen is participating in Climb Agains the Odds, and she is on a roll. Check out her interview with KOBI-TV NBC5.

To learn more about Climb Against the Odds and this year's team, visit the event website.

Prevention Is Power: One survivor's story

This October—we call it Breast Cancer Prevention Month—the Breast Cancer Fund's Prevention Is Power campaign is educating thousands about what they can do to reduce breast cancer risk.

For many, including breast cancer survivor Leslie Vanoni, prevention is about protecting our daughters from this devastating disease. Here's Leslie's story.

By Leslie Vanoni, Guest Blogger

On Valentine’s Day 2011, then sober a year and a half, I got the news that the breast cancer I thought I had beat years earlier had metastasized to my bones and lungs. Stage-four cancer. I was terrified, knowing there’s no stage five. How was I going to tell my twin thirteen-year-old daughters? They had already been through so much. I was diagnosed the first time on their fourth birthday. They saw their healthy mother become very sick. They saw me cry as my hair fell out. They saw the fear in my eyes. I became angry and full of self-pity. I drank a lot.
 
This time, I set out to show my girls it is possible to get through difficult times with grace. While I was afraid most days, I stayed sober.
 
In January 2012, I was told that I was in complete remission. Just as I was recovering from a year of treatment, my employer, Autodesk, Inc., invited me to be the company’s sponsored climber in the Breast Cancer Fund’s Climb Against the Odds 2012 expedition of Mt. Shasta. I didn’t know a thing about the Breast Cancer Fund, and I was out of shape, but I said yes. If I had spent any time looking up on the Internet what it takes to climb the massive Mt. Shasta, I would have pulled the “cancer card” and politely declined. But on blind faith, I decided to do it, and it was one of the best decisions I have made in a long time.
 
Training became a form of meditation. Putting one foot in front of the other, I began to feel stronger and calmer. When I shared my story with my fellow trainees, they didn’t gasp. Instead, they greeted me before every training hike with hugs.
 
On the hikes I began to learn about the Breast Cancer Fund and why these people were so passionate about its mission to prevent the disease. My girls ask me all the time if they will get breast cancer. I wish I knew that the answer was no, but I don't. What I do know is that the Breast Cancer Fund is working every day to make sure fewer people ever have to get the terrible diagnosis. And I know I will continue to do what I can to support this work.
 
Driving alone up to Mt. Shasta to begin the expedition, I began to think I had completely lost my mind—that maybe I should turn around and go home. But I didn’t, and when I was greeted by the other climbers and the Breast Cancer Fund staff, I immediately knew everything would be OK. Doubt was replaced by faith, and fear was replaced by courage. I was not alone, and we were climbing to prevent breast cancer. I was becoming a woman I could be proud of and a mother my girls could be proud of. I was realizing that focusing on preventing breast cancer was helping me get my life back.

Fond farewells and photos

Since coming down from the mountain on Thursday, the 2012 Climb Against the Odds team has been basking in the glow of their shared adventure. The climbers have been recounting their incredible expedition on Mt. Shasta by sharing stories, photos and memories of a lifetime. The community forged by this journey is powerful and enduring, like the individuals who comprise it, so we part ways knowing that this is not goodbye, just happy trails until we are together again.

 

Check out stunning photography of this awe-inspiring team's journey. These photos document the 2012 expedition very well and more shots will be added to the collection in the coming weeks.

Has following the 2012 team's journey inspired you to climb and become a part of this amazing community? Sign up to be among the first to know when the 2013 Climb Against the Odds expedition begins accepting applications!

 

Back to civilization

Groups from the climb team started arriving to the the Bunny Flat trailhead around 11:30 a.m. this morning to cheers, hugs and a whole lotta love! Everyone is safely down from the mountain and we will all be gathering with locals from the Mt. Shasta community to celebrate their journey and hear their stories this evening. Enjoy a few shots from the return to the trailhead.

 

 

All safe and sound at base camp. Time to sleep!

Last report of the day: all climbers have returned to base camp safe and sound. Considering they began their ascent at 2:30 a.m., and they've been climbing and glissading ever since, they'll likely tuck themselves into their tents early tonight for some hard-earned sleep.

Go, team!

Check back tomorrow to read about the team's descent from base camp to the trailhead, where they'll meet their cheering fans. We should have a report and photos for you by early afternoon PST on Thursday.

Almost ready to call it a day—and what a day it's been!

Twenty-three of the 27 climbers are back at base camp at Hidden Valley, and the last group of four is in sight, glissading toward their tired but exhilerated teammates. All are in good spirits. Those back at base camp are sharing stories and photos from their amazing day and and enjoying some well-deserved rest.

We're so proud of each an every climber. As Breast Cancer Fund President Jeanne Rizzo says, summiting is optional, but getting down is not!

Down here in town the climbers' families and loved ones are arriving in anticipation of the team's descent off the mountain tomorrow around noon. Tonight we'll eat pizza together and make signs that we'll wave tomorrow as we cheer our climbers home.

What a day it's been! Thanks for all of your support, and stay tuned for more news tomorrow!

Climb Against the Odds team reaches new heights

Under sunny skies and near perfect conditions, the 2012 Climb Against the Odds team had an amazing day on Mt. Shasta. Each climber reached new heights on their journey and we are so proud of and humbled by each of these amazing women!

As the team makes their way down to base camp here is a list of climbers and where they reached their personal summits:

La Dawn Beardsley—14,179 feet, summit
Pam Bennett—14,179 feet, summit
Jennifer Bray—14,179 feet, summit
Blair Brown—14,179 feet, summit
Christine Bunting—14,179 feet, summit
Michele Cobble—14,179 feet, summit
Teasha Curren—14,179 feet, summit
Hazel Dagala—11,600, west face
Hendy Dayton—14,179 feet, summit
Tarsha Ebbern—14,179 feet, summit
Ann Eikenberry—11,200 feet, west face
Lori Fallace—13,000 feet, near the saddle between the west face and Misery Hill
Shannon Hahn—14,179 feet, summit
Deirdre Hockett—14,179 feet, summit
Hayley Jensen—14,179 feet, summit
Alisa Johnson—14,179 feet, summit
Pam Keefe—14,179 feet, summit
Amy Legate—14,179 feet, summit
Linda Morton—14,179 feet, summit
Joanne Padilla—14,179 feet, summit
Madeline Prager—10,500 feet, west face
Diane Silberman—14,179 feet, summit
Katie Singleton—14,179 feet, summit
Jane Small—14,179 feet, summit
Cathy Ann Taylor—14,179 feet, summit
Leslie Vanoni—13,000 feet, near the saddle between the west face and Misery Hill
Sally Werth—9,600 feet, just above Hidden Valley

Spectacular pics and news from the summit

 

As proof of the stunning condition reports we've been getting from the mountain we received these gorgeous photos from the summit a short while ago!

More news from the mountain:

Katie Singleton and Diane Silberman reached the summit at 11:00 a.m. Haley Jensen, Joanne Padilla, and Michele Cobble summited at 11:20 a.m., followed closely by La Dawn Beardsley, Alisa Johnson, and Jen Bray at 11:30 a.m. Amy Legate, Teasha Curren, Tarsha Ebbern, and Linda Morton reached the top at 12:10. And the final group to summit included Deirdre Hockett, Hendy Dayton, Pam Bennett, and Christine Bunting at 1:05.

Hazel Degala reached her personal summit on the west face at 11,600 feet and is now back at camp. Leslie Vanoni and Lori Fallace reached their personal summits at 13,000 feet near the saddle between the top of the west face and Misery Hill and are now on their way down to base camp.

The first group to descend has reached the top of the west face and the conditions are so great that the climbers will be able to glissade most of west face (from 12,800 to 9,440 feet) after hiking 200 feet down the head wall ...woohoo!

 

 

Prayer flags are flying on the summit!

We've just received reports of the first summit of the day! Blair Brown, Jane Small, Shannon Hahn and Pam Keefe have reached 14, 179 feet.

Two rope teams that include La Dawn Beardsley, Amy Legate , Linda Morton, Alisa Johnson, Jen Bray, Teasha Curren, Michele Cobble, Joanne Padilla, Hayley Jensen, Diane Silberman, Katie Singleton are at the top of Misery Hill preparing to make their summit approach.

The rest of the climbers Lori Fallace, Pam Bennet, Deirdre Hockett, Christine Bunting, Leslie Vanoni, Hendy Dayton, and Tarsha Ebbern are heading up Misery Hill from the west face.

Conditions continue to be gorgeous and perfect for our climbers, among the best we've ever experienced on the mountain!

Go Team! We are so proud of you all!

 

Get your bearings

Want to know where Misery Hill and the west face are in relation to base camp at Hidden Valley and the summit? Check out this graphic of the routes on the South West Side of Mt. Shasta to help get your bearings in relation to climb status updates. Click the image for a larger view.