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Cancer Climb for
Prostate Awareness
El Misti, Peru
August 2005
The Climbers' Stories:
Ken Malik
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
This will be my fourth Cancer Climb for Prostate
Awareness. I'm hoping that our expedition will once again send an
inspirational message to men and their families: that there is plenty of
life possible after a prostate cancer diagnosis.
I'm now sixty years old and in my tenth year since
being diagnosed. I have never had any conventional treatment! Fortunately,
my cancer was diagnosed early and with strict lifestyle changes it has not
progressed. These changes include a strict low fat, non-dairy vegetarian
type diet ( I do eat some fish), meditation practice for stress reduction,
regular exercise, and the use of a number of nutritional supplements. Of
course I continue to be checked regularly with the best diagnostic tools
available. I'm a lucky man, with the healthy lifestyle I've adopted I'm able
to participate in the rigors of high altitude mountain climbing.
I was a participant on the first three climb
projects. To Mt Aconcagua in the Argentine Andes in 2001, Mt Kilimanjaro in
Tanzania in 2003 and a three mountain challenge in the Yosemite High Country
last year. These expeditions have raised almost $250,000 for awareness
programs and education. Our goal is to encourage men to take proactive
responsibility for prevention, regular checkups and their prostate health. I
am proud to have the opportunity to participate once again. We need your
help if we are to be successful again this year. Please join us in spirit in
August when we attempt the summit of El Misti. All donations are tax
deductible.
Ken Malik is the co-founder and executive
director of the Prostate Awareness Foundation and also a businessman in San
Francisco. He is one of the team leaders of this years expedition.
Brad Neal
AUSTIN, TX
I can't believe this will be my third Cancer Climb
for Prostate Awareness. I never intended to be a mountain climber! I had
never been higher than 6,000' until I climbed to the top of the highest
mountain in Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro at 19,341' in 2003. I went on that
expedition to honor my father, a prostate cancer survivor of over 15 years.
I know he is real proud of my effort.
Prostate cancer has become a real "family
affair" for me. When I returned from Africa in 2003 it was to the news
that my brother had been diagnosed with aggressively growing prostate
cancer. Fortunately he was diagnosed in time, had radiation therapy and is
doing well.
Last year I participated in the Yosemite Cancer
Climb. It was a great experience. I not only helped raise money and
awareness about prostate health, but I got to hear more about ways to
prevent the disease in the first place. I know I'm a pretty high risk
candidate for prostate cancer since it runs in my family. I much rather
prevent it than to have to deal with it.
I'm really looking forward to this years climb in
the Andes and the opportunity to meet our new climbers and reconnect with
those I've climbed with before. I think these expeditions are a great way
for me support prostate cancer outreach programs while learning more about
taking care of my own prostate health.
Brad Neal is a mortgage broker who hails from
Austin, Texas. Brad conducts an annual local golf tournament in Austin
called the Bone Invitational to raise funding for PAF.
Ralph Lake
AUSTIN,TX
It seems like no family these days goes untouched by
cancer. My father and two uncles were diagnosed with cancer and most
recently two good friends were told they have prostate cancer. It seems like
it's happening far to frequently. I was reunited with Ken Malik, the founder
of PAF and a high school friend I had not seen in years a couple of years
back. He has been successfully keeping his prostate cancer at bay for over
ten years now.
Ken has really given me an education about the
prostate cancer epidemic and hopefully how to avoid it! As a recent retiree,
I don't want to become another statistic. With my new found awareness about
the disease, I am taking positive, proactive action to maximize my health.
Awareness and personal action are key elements to prevention, early
detection, and the early treatments that save lives.
I have been a contributor and advocate for cancer
research for most of my life. Until recently I never considered myself a
mountain climb! I was one of four PAF participants to summit Mt Kilimanjaro
and participated in last years Prostate Cancer climb, Hike and Gathering in
Yosemite National Park. We've raised over $50,000 for outreach programs
sponsored by PAF over the past couple of years. The El Misti climb will give
me a chance to stand up and be counted once again. These expeditions have
been a great way for me to stay in tip top shape while working for a good
cause. I'm up for the challenge and hope you will support my efforts.
Ralph Lake is a retired engineer and resides in
Austin, Texas. He is on the board of directors of the Prostate Awareness
Foundation. Ralph is an avid fisherman and has been an outdoorsman all his
life.
Tom Hyde
MIAMI, FL
I've participated in all the other climbs and I'm proud to be part of
this year's Cancer Climb for Prostate Awareness expedition to the Peruvian
Andes. I feel very strongly about the need to educate men about this
epidemic cancer. So many of my friends and associates have prostate cancer
and my father in law had the disease before passing away from a stroke. It
seems like very few families these days are not touch by the cancer
epidemic.
In 2001 I was on the Prostate Cancer Climb of Mt Aconcagua in the
Argentine Andes. It was a real difficult challenge but we did manage to put
two men at the top while raising over $200,000 for prostate cancer education
and outreach programs. It was a very gratifying experience to be associated
with this and the other expeditions. I had the same rich and fulfilling
experience on the Kilimanjaro and Yosemite expeditions. I'm glad to be going
back to the Andes for this new challenge and I hope our efforts will not
only raise critically needed funding but also send a message of hope to men
and their families all over.
I feel strongly about this cause and I hope our efforts will result in
helping to save men from this terrible affliction. I read recently that the
number of deaths from prostate cancer is down from 40,000 per year to about
30,000. This is encouraging, but there are still far too many men and their
families being affected. We need to do a better job educating men about
early detection, treatment options and preventative measures. That's why we
need to support organizations like PAF. We need your help and generous
contributions to sustain our outreach efforts.
Tom Hyde is one of this year's expedition leaders. He will also be
head of the medical support team and expedition photographer. Tom is a
retired chiropractor, ex-marine and is on the board of directors of PAF. He
was the sports chiropractor for the Miami Dolphins, University of Miami, Pan
American Games and World Olympic Association. Tom was expedition leader on
the Mt Kilimanjaro Prostate Cancer Climb.
Doug Menelly
NEW YORK, NY
I have been involved with the prostate cancer climb project from the
beginning. I was on the team of climbers that tackled Mt Aconcagua in 2001
and summited Mt Kilimanjaro in 2003. Once again this year I will be climbing
in honor of my father Mario a prostate cancer activist who passed away last
year from prostate cancer.
My father, Mario Menelly was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the
premature age of 43. He had a PSA of 100 and a Gleason score of 9 out of a
possible ten. He was told he had an aneuploid tumor, the worst kind. He was
also told that his condition should be considered terminal! After exploring
a number of conventional treatment options that did not offer much hope for
survival he opted for an alternative therapy. This protocol included organic
foods, vegetable juices, regular coffee enemas, regular injections of
selenium and a number of supplements. He eliminated sugar, caffeine, meat
and white flour from his diet and received regular vitamin infusions. He
beat the odds and lived for a wonderful seven years after diagnosis.
During this time he helped countless men with prostate cancer as they
journeyed down this troubled road. He regularly spoke at prostate support
groups spreading the knowledge of what he had learned and his successful
experience with alternative therapies.
Our family was fortunate to be able to spend so much quality time with my
dad before he passed away peacefully last June. It made our already
closely-knit family even stronger. We hope to help other families by writing
a book about Mario's prostate cancer journey that will include many of his
journal entries.
I'm proud to be on this year's expedition and have an opportunity to
carry on my father's legacy. I know his spirit will be with me at the top of
El Misti on summit day. I appreciate your support and generous contribution
to our efforts.
Doug Menelly is one of this year's expedition leaders. He is also the
team Sponsorship Director and is responsible for soliciting equipment from
leading manufactures of outdoor gear. He is affiliated with a number of
prostate cancer non-profits. Doug is on the board of directors of the
Prostate Awareness Foundation and active with PCRI (Prostate Cancer Research
Institute) and ECPCP (Education Center for Prostate Cancer Patients) in New
York.
Steve Swindell
HINGHAM, MA
My awareness level of prostate cancer was raised significantly in March
of 1993. My father, Murray, and father-in-law, Jack, were both diagnosed
with the disease within weeks of one another. Through aggressive treatment,
dietary changes and modern medicine, both men are still around today. They
are certainly a couple of the "lucky ones" among the brotherhood
of prostate cancer victims. I have decided to climb in their honor while
they are still alive, as their courage has been inspiring to me, as well as
to many friends, associates and family members.
My exposure to the prostate cancer climbs began with the inaugural climb,
in 2001, when at age sixty-six my father announced he was going to climb Mt.
Aconcagua in Argentina, to raise money for prostate cancer research.
Individual family members started giving him our most prized good luck
pieces thinking we may lose him to a mountain, rather than to cancer! (His
detailed story can be seen on www.prostatecancerclimb.org). Some of the men
I will join on this climb are not so lucky, as they have lost loved ones,
while others are themselves survivors of prostate cancer. It is with
gratitude for life, and with the hope of saving the lives of current and
future generations from the threat of prostate cancer, that I embark on this
journey.
While my story begins in honor of my fathers, I would be
remiss not to mention the names of two women whose honor in which I climb as
well. My sister, Sharon, has survived two bouts with cancer, and serves as a
role model for me today as to how to live with a zest for life. My
mother-in-law, Sandra, was unable to beat the odds, and lost her life to
lung cancer in late 1999. Her last days were spent in her home in the
mountains outside Bozeman, Montana, where she reveled in the wildlife and
beauty of her surroundings. I am very grateful that she could meet her
grandchildren, the three children of my wife Shelley and I, before her
passing. Her love of nature, her passion for the music of Elvis, her long
walks in the mountains and the sparkle in her eyes, are the legacy of
"Grandma Tana".
Personally, this climb represents a physical and emotional challenge,
which has already brought excitement to my life. I am proud to be raising
money for a great cause: prostate cancer awareness and research, so that
other lives can be extended and more love can be shared. It represents the
transition to middle age (if I'm lucky), when maintaining one's health
becomes more of a daily challenge. At forty-two, it is my hope this can be
the first of many great climbs, as I begin the next phase of my life, in
which I hope to make greater contributions to the betterment of mankind.
While some elements of this life are beyond our control, those actions and
causes we choose to engage in, make us what we are. My love and appreciation
goes out to those that support this mission with me.
Rick Mohovich
UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ
This will be my second Cancer Climb for Prostate Awareness. I have to say
that I am apprehensive about climbing higher than I ever have before, but I
am feeling optimistic about reaching the summit.
Last year when I participated in the Yosemite expedition I had never
climbed a mountain! Over the course of the one-week expedition I climbed
three mountains, each one brought me higher than I had ever been before. On
our last day I climbed to the top of 13,000' Mt Dana. What a rewarding
experience, especially since my son Shawn was there with me every step of
the way. The expedition also allowed me to meet some great guys, learn a lot
more about prostate cancer and have the satisfaction of raising money to
help sustain PAF.
This years climb of 19,101' El Misti will be a real challenge. But, now
at least I have a better idea as to what to expect. I was diagnosed with
prostate cancer over eight years ago. A few months prior to the Yosemite
expedition I had my prostate surgically removed. I think that training and
getting in shape for the expedition helped me to recover more quickly from
the surgery.
One of the things I've learned over the years about prostate cancer is
that you have to be your own doctor. There's so much information out there
to absorb both from conventional medicine and also about alternative
treatment options. Organizations like PAF take a lot of the guesswork out of
the decision making process. You can't put a price tag on being able to talk
with other guys that have had similar experiences both pro and con. I
encourage every man to get involved with a local support group, read as much
as you can and do your due diligence before choosing a treatment plan.
I'm proud to be part of this year's expedition. My wife June, daughter
Lynette and son Shawn will all be there with me in spirit on summit day. I
want to thank everyone in advance for supporting my efforts.
Rick Mohovich is a general contractor, carpenter and builder. He is on
the Board of Directors of the Prostate Awareness Foundation and active in
local support groups in the New Jersey area.
Garry Murray
GALWAY, IRELAND
My name is Garry Murray, aged 48, living in Galway in Ireland with my
wife and four children. I am the only climber on this year's expedition from
out of the United State. I look forward to seeing my old friends from the Mt
Kilimanjaro Prostate Cancer Climb and making some new ones. I understand
that the incidence of prostate cancer in Ireland and the United Kingdom is
about the same as it is in the states. That concerns me. It seems like an
epidemic and I'd like to do something about changing things.
In 1988 my brother, Don, who had suffered a life threatening kidney
condition since birth, went into steep decline. His kidney's failed him
completely in 1999 and he began the lifelong routine of dialysis. We later
found that he needed a liver and a kidney transplant. Unfortunately, Don
died in June of 2003. That same year, my 80-year-old mother found out that
she had breast cancer and had a mastectomy.
These two events had a profound effect on me and the way I now look at
life! I found myself looking for a personal challenge and despite never
having walked, trekked or climbed before, I joined the Prostate Cancer climb
of Mt Kilimanjaro in September of 2003.
I found that expedition to be therapeutic and a wonderful way to honor
Don's life while raising money on behalf of prostate cancer education and
awareness programs. It was a great adventure; I learned a lot and made lots
of good friends on the climb. I'm proud to be on this years Cancer Climb for
Prostate Awareness.
Garry Murray is a builder and contractor on Ireland's rugged
west coast. Garry, his wife Maggie, their seven-year-old twins and their
other two children live on Lough Rea way west of Dublin.
Greg Doerr and Penny Steiner
RIDGEFIELD, NJ
We heard about the Cancer Climbs for Prostate Awareness from a fellow
Chiropractor, Tom Hyde. We have sponsored Tom on his climbs in the past, and
this year we're happy to be climbing next to him. We are pleased and honored
to be joining this team of incredible, devoted, and sacrificing climbers!
We're excited and very proud to be helping PAF raise the necessary funds
to continue their important work. Both Penny and I have been greatly touched
by cancer in our lives both personally and professionally. I have lost three
uncles and a cousin to cancer, and my brother is a survivor. To even
describe the number of patients Penny and I have known or lost to cancer is
a number we wish not to remember.
With the help of the PAF, maybe we can help take a few steps toward
raising everyone's consciousness about prostate cancer. Living in the New
York City area where cancer seems to be spreading like a plague, Penny and I
look forward to the opportunity to assist the PAF in spreading the word
about this epidemic disease. Early intervention and proper diet are two of
the greatest weapons we have against this disease. We look forward to the
day that no one dies from prostate cancer
Greg Doerr is a chiropractor in Ridgefield, NJ. His specialty is
in sports medicine. He served as the medical team leader on his group's
expedition to Kilimanjaro in 2002. He is an avid hiker and camper.
Penny Steiner is a physical therapist in Ridgefield, NJ. Since
her life sentence with Greg Doerr, Penny has become a hiker, camper, and
frequent shopper at Campmor and REI!
Both Penny and Greg will be part of the expedition's medical
support team.
For more information about the El Misti trip, call 415-675-5661 or
e-mail kamalik@sbcglobal.net
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5/8/05
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