Local ladies climb to rise above cancer

Sandy residents raise funds for research

By Garth Guibord

The Sandy Post, Jul 12, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009

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Healey and Drew already have performed training climbs, including reaching the 10,000-foot mark of Mount Rainier. But in August when the women try to reach the summit, the climb will require skills such as glacier travel in crampons (spiked boots), rope techniques, crevasse rescue, route finding and self-arrest (regaining control after sliding). Healey noted that she will rely on Drew to help get her through the difficult spots.

“She’s my motivator for this,” Healey said. “It’s going to be very challenging. I’m a scared-of-heights kind of person.”

Another Sandy resident, Priscilla Jester, will climb Mount Baker between Friday, July 13, and Sunday, July 15, in honor of her sister who died of breast cancer and many of her friends and colleagues who survived. Jester, who works as a public health nurse for Multnomah County, raised money for a previous climb of Mount Adams and had a unique experience when she reached the top.

“We got to the top of Mount Adams, which is pretty broad and flat, (and) we had a banner out and were taking pictures when a guy came up and asked us what we were doing,” Jester said. “When we told him, he said his wife was undergoing chemo and asked how he could donate.”

Drew similarly plans to take a prayer flag with the names of a lot of donors’ friends and family on it when she climbs Mount Rainier. Reaching the summit to honor people who have been touched by breast cancer is an emotional moment, and also a chance to reflect on the disease and what it means.

“My diagnosis has kicked me in the tail,” Healey said. “You only live once; you’ve got to try things.”

For more information or to help support a climber, visit www.fhcrc.org/climb.

Sandy Post intern Callie Vandewiele contributed to this report.

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