Guest post by Steve Clossick, who climbed Mount Shasta to prevent breast cancer with BCPP’s Climb Against the Odds 2018
When I first saw Mount Shasta
It is hard to believe it has been 20 years since I first saw the majestic Mount Shasta. Back then, I did not know what Mount Shasta would come to symbolize for me. But in 2018, climbing Mount Shasta became my way of giving back to an organization, a community, and a dream.
An organization that will help prevent countless people from getting breast cancer. A community of people who have dealt with breast cancer as a survivor, a supporter, or a memory. Lastly, it was a dream of mine to climb this mountain from my drive-by 20 years earlier.
Mount Shasta is more than just a mountain; it is a journey for my family and me. A journey that we continue to walk each day.
My daughter’s tumor
Flashback to 2013, when my daughter Maya was rushed into surgery. She was two years old, and a tumor was found in her left kidney. This was not a small tumor, one the size of a grapefruit. Seven hours later, her left kidney was removed along with the tumor. A child with a tumor like this may often have a Wilms Tumor. This is what we thought she had, and so did the medical world. Fortunately for us, Maya’s kidney and tumor came back benign. What a miracle!
The flip side to this was that we found out that Maya had a very rare condition known as Pleuropulmonary Blastoma (PPB). So, what does this mean? This very rare diagnosis means that my daughter has a greater chance of getting cancer down the road, such as breast cancer.
“Prevention is key to ensuring that my daughter and everyone else has a fighting chance never to have to deal with breast cancer.”
Why I support BCPP
This is where BCPP comes into play. While neither my daughter, my wife, nor any of my immediate family have or have had breast cancer, prevention is key to ensuring that my daughter and everyone else has a fighting chance never to have to deal with breast cancer. It is an incredible statistic to know that 90% of breast cancer cases are not genetically linked.
BCPP is not only looking at ways to prevent breast cancer, but they are proactive in the ways that they teach and work with other organizations, businesses, health groups, and most importantly, us as human beings.
This is the reason that my family supports BCPP. My daughter’s situation was not genetic but something from a possible environmental factor. We will never know, but we do know that we will continue to support BCPP in everything they do to educate, promote, and battle the environmental factors that may contribute to the ugly disease of breast cancer.
I hope to climb again
It is my hope to climb Mount Shasta again to honor all those who have had to deal with this unruly disease and support the ongoing efforts of BCPP.
Thank you, BCPP, for all you do and the hope you give families!
Apply to climb for breast cancer prevention
Join us to Climb Against the Odds to challenge a woman’s 1 in 8 chance of a breast cancer diagnosis. Previous experience is optional. Inspiration guaranteed.
