Meet the Climb Against the Odds Mt. Shasta 2008 Team

Our Climb Against the Odds 2008 team of 33 women and men — breast cancer survivors and supporters — came together from June 15-21, 2008, to climb the 14,162-foot Mt. Shasta in Northern California.  Each with their individual reasons for climbing, they collectively supported each other in reaching the mountain top and raised over $500,000 for breast cancer prevention.  Thank you to the climbers and to everyone who supported their efforts! 

Learn more about Climb Against the Odds here »
View photos from Climb Against the Odds »
Watch YouTube interviews with the climbers »

(Mollie, right, with her mother)		Mollie Allick, 28 – San Francisco Returning home from her freshman year at Duke University, Mollie Allick learned her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer.  Watching her mother experience breast cancer gave Mollie a new perspective on life with a greater appreciation for the present.  She will be participating in Climb Against the Odds to honor her mother and to educate young women about the preventable causes of the disease.
		Molly Baker, 35 – Oakland, Calif. Molly Baker will dedicate her Climb Against the Odds journey to her grandmother and two friends who have experienced breast cancer.  Molly will also use this opportunity to push beyond her comfort zone and challenge herself physically and mentally.  Embracing the Clif Bar & Co. and LUNA mission to support women throughout the best and the most challenging times of their lives, she will be joined by colleague Jenny Berrien in representing the company as staff climbers.
		Connie Bates, 45 – San Jose, Calif., survivor In August 2005, Connie Bates learned she had breast cancer.  As a healthy and active 43-year-old mother of two teenage daughters, the diagnosis was a devastating discovery.  Ultimately, the disease changed how she viewed herself and the world of women around her.  By meeting the challenge of Climb Against the Odds, Connie hopes to honor the women who inspired her despite their own great adversity and to bring closure to her experience with breast cancer.
		Jenny Berrien, 31 - San Francisco Like so many, Jenny Berrien has experienced cancer through its growing prevalence in the lives of her friends and family members.  As a Clif Bar & Co. and LUNA staff member committed to promoting positive social change, Berrien will be participating in Climb Against the Odds to raise awareness around breast cancer prevention and empower women to reduce their risk.
		Nancy Buermeyer, 46 – Washington, D.C. Nancy Buermeyer will be participating in her second Climb Against the Odds at Mt. Shasta.   While hoping to summit, her personal goal is secondary to the team’s success.  Buermeyer has had firsthand experience caring for a loved one with cancer.  She will be climbing again to honor her former partner Betsy and other close friends who have lost loved ones to this devastating disease.
		Margaret Burks, 52 – Scotts Valley, Calif., survivor After a routine mammogram, Margaret Burks was notified by postcard that she needed further diagnostic work.  She personally requested a biopsy after an inconclusive ultrasound and was diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer on June 28, 2005.  The experience has inspired her to ensure that no woman and no family should have to deal with a breast cancer diagnosis.  Margaret has completed two marathons, two metric marathons, 10 half marathons, and several multi-day breast cancer walks.  In the search for her next challenge, she found Climb Against the Odds.  She said, “It had my name written all over it.”
		Sarah Carter, 27 - Los Angeles Born in Toronto and raised in Winnipeg, Sarah Carter spent her early years training as a dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. At 19, she learned her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer, prompting her to return home from her university studies and to begin her work in the entertainment industry.  Sarah has since used her celebrity status to raise awareness around breast cancer and the environment and currently serves as a spokesperson for the Breast Cancer Fund's Pure Prevention public education campaign. To honor her mother's experience with breast cancer, Sarah will join the Climb Against the Odds team in climbing Mt. Shasta for breast cancer prevention.  She currently stars as Madeleine Poe on CBS’s “Shark.”  Her other television and film credits include: “Smallville,” “Entourage,” “NUMB3RS,” “Final Destination II,” “Haven” and the upcoming films, “Killing Zelda Sparks,” “Berkeley,” “Misconceptions” and “Red Mist.”
		Hilma “Hillie” Crowfoot, 64 – Montague, Calif., survivor Hillie Crowfoot was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in 1991 after a routine mammogram.  As both a breast cancer survivor and a retired nurse, she was inspired to join Climb Against the Odds to challenge herself both physically and emotionally and to become a spokesperson for breast cancer awareness.  Residing in Montague, California, Hillie and her husband regularly climb, ski and snowshoe on Mt. Shasta, but she hopes to summit for the first time with the Climb Against the Odds 2008 team.  As the Mt. Shasta community climber, all of the money raised for her climb will benefit Breast Cancer Services of Siskiyou County.
		Brenda Darden, 43 – Carson City, Nev. Brenda Darden has watched and cared for several close friends and family members with cancer.  Brenda’s first experience with breast cancer came when she watched the mother of a close friend die of the disease, and then experienced her friend’s own diagnosis at the age of 35. Several years later, Brenda’s grandmother was diagnosed and underwent a mastectomy.  Brenda was motivated to join Climb Against the Odds after supporting friends Sherry Miller and Becky Fisch in their past climbs.  She will join Becky Fisch and Jacque Jensen in climbing in honor of Sherry, who passed away in May 2007.
		Mia Eng, 35 – Toronto, Canada Mia Eng lost her mother to cancer when she was just 9 years old.  Since that time, she has watched those around her deal with similar losses ; including her sister-in-law, Elaine, a two-year breast cancer survivor herself who lost her own mother to the same in 2006.  The disease has taught Mia that we are all vulnerable and in this together: “Nobody can sit on the sidelines.”  She felt compelled to join Climb Against the Odds to positively impact public awareness around breast cancer, to honor those who have lost their battles and to celebrate those who have been victorious.
		Becky Fisch, 47 – Reno, Nev. Becky Fisch will climb Mt. Shasta for a second time with Climb Against the Odds.   Two months before Becky’s 2007 climb, her friend and inspiration, Sherry Miller, died of metastatic breast cancer. Sherry had climbed twice with the CAO team, and Becky saw her as the Eveready Bunny who could keep training even while undergoing chemo. Becky will be joined this year by Brenda Darden and Jacque Jensen, close friends to Sherry.
		Hitomi Fukahori, 55 – Yokohama, Japan, survivor "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."  "Where there is a will, there is a way." -- These are the life philosophies of Hitomi Fukahori, a nine-year breast cancer survivor from Japan.  In 2000, Hitomi was one of 325 Japanese team members who scaled Mt. Fuji alongside 70 American teammates in Climb Against the Odds.  This expedition raised international awareness for breast cancer and helped to highlight the growing epidemic in Japan.  She feels very privileged to be on the team of incredible breast cancer survivors and supporters from the United States who will climb Mt. Shasta together this June.  She has a strong determination to raise awareness and bring the work of the Breast Cancer Fund back to the people of Japan. Hitomi is teaming up with former U.S. climbers  to raise funds for her participation in Climb Against the Odds 2008.
		Jane Haddow, 50 – San Carlos, Calif. Jane Haddow has family and friends on three continents who have gone through breast cancer diagnoses and surgery.  Growing up in South Africa, Jane feels at home in the African veldt, a place many travelers would find difficult and dangerous to travel in.  She approaches the challenge of climbing Mt. Shasta with the same feelings but is inspired by the joined strength and enthusiasm of this group of women and men committed to overcoming their fear and to supporting of their friends and loved ones whose lives have been affected by breast cancer.
		Rosanne Iversen, 45 – Steamboat Springs, Colo., survivor At the age of 44, Steamboat Springs family physician Rosanne Iversen spent 2007 being treated for breast cancer.  Her 8-year-old son Peter helped her realize that her journey with breast cancer, though difficult and terrifying at times, has brought much growth and meaning to her life.  Rosanne sees participating in Climb Against the Odds as an empowering way to celebrate life and as an experience – like cancer – that she will never forget.  With the climb beginning as her treatment year comes to a close, she looks at summiting Mt. Shasta as symbolizing a pivotal event, moving gracefully forward and beyond cancer.
		Jacque Jensen, 48 – Reno, Nev. Jacque Jensen first experienced cancer with her father, who lived with colon cancer for 12 years.  As a result, she was drawn to the healthcare profession and became a radiological technologist.  Through her work in interventional radiology, she continues to see many patients with all types of cancer.  However, her closest experience with the disease was with Sherry Miller, a two-time participant in Climb Against the Odds.  Watching Sherry live with cancer showed Jacque that she could be living her life more fully and positively.   Jacque will be joining Brenda Darden and Becky Fisch in climbing in honor of Sherry, who passed away in May 2007.
		J. Hampton Kew, 30 – Jackson, Wyo. In the past two years, cancer has been a large part of Hampton Kew’s life.  Hampton’s cousin Taylor and his wife were both diagnosed with cancer, and Taylor lost his battle with the disease in August.  Through family and friends who have survived breast cancer and in her work with Burt’s Bees, she has become increasingly aware of the unknown causes of the disease and is determined to work toward prevention.
		Laura Lifland, 35 – San Francisco Laura Lifland is another return climber, having participated in Climb Against the Odds 2007.  She originally became aware of the event through Climb Against the Odds trainer and Breast Cancer Fund Hero Cathy Ann Taylor and has since become an advocate for the climb and for the work of the Breast Cancer Fund.  A full-time banker and part-time yoga teacher, Laura will be climbing to honor the women in her life who have experienced breast cancer and to work towards reducing the risk of our future generations.
		Shanhong Lu, 44 – Mount Shasta,Calif. As a physician and a Chinese-American, Shanhong Lu has seen an ever-increasing number of women at a younger and younger age diagnosed with breast cancer.  Many of them do not have a family history.  She will be summiting Mt. Shasta for the first time with the Climb Against the Odds team to raise awareness around prevention and early intervention.
		Ann Maechtlen, 47 – Florence, Mont., survivor Ann Maechtlen grew up on a ranch in Southern California were they grew avocadoes and assorted vegetables.   At the age of 22, Ann was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  Like many lymphoma survivors, Ann’s radiation treatments increased her risk for breast cancer; she was diagnosed with the disease in 2006 and completed her treatments in 2007.  With a growing awareness of the toxins and manmade hazards in our environment, she has gained a greater respect for relationships with each other and with the planet.  She will be joining the Climb Against the Odds team to raise awareness, to give back and to challenge herself.
		Linda Morton, 44 – Seattle As a sales rep for Isis for Women, one of the Breast Cancer Fund’s leading sponsors, Linda Morton has known about Climb Against the Odds for years.  She has also known many women with breast cancer, including her close friend Debbie who died at 52 after a courageous 15-year struggle with the disease. In 2005, Linda honored Debbie’s life by climbing Mt. Rainier with Climb Against the Odds.  She returned to shasta in 2006 to climb with fellow Rainier climber, Sherry Miller. Together, they reached the summit of Sherry's last climb before she died of breast cancer on May 1, 2007.  Linda will return to Mt. Shasta for her fourth Climb Against the Odds expedition on the mountain.  Linda, in conjunction with Tamara Murphy, has been a significant supporter of the Breast Cancer Fund, raising over $35,000 last year though a fundraising dinner hosted at Tamara’s award-winning Seattle restaurant, Brasa.  This year, Linda will climb in honor of Debbie Graves, Sherry Miller, Eneida Adorno, Miriam Lipton and Janell Rock.
		Craig Murray, 34 – Burlington, Mass. Craig Murray is dedicating his climb to his mother and the battle she courageously fought against cancer.  He will be joining the Climb Against the Odds team to lend his voice to a community dedicated to helping those who have experienced breast cancer – whether it be patient, family or friend.
		Kameyo Okubo, 63 – Chigasaki, Japan As a nurse in Japan, Kameyo Okubo became involved with Climb Against the Odds: Mt. Fuji because a doctor she worked with served as the Japanese representative for the joint United States–Japan climb.  Kameyo was on the board for the Climb Against the Odds expedition in 2000 and is now an active member of Front Runners Climbing Club for cancer survivors in Japan. A reunion last summer of U.S. and Japanese members from the Mt. Fuji team inspired Kameyo to continue her involvement with Climb Against the Odds and the Breast Cancer Fund to raise awareness in Japan around breast cancer prevention.  She will join former Mt. Fuji teammate Hitomi Fukahori in traveling to Mt. Shasta for Climb Against the Odds 2008.
		Soja Park Bennett, 65 – Exeter, N.H. Soja Park Bennett’s personal connection to breast cancer has been through the experiences of her brother’s family. His wife survived breast cancer but all of the women in her family, including her mother and two sisters, died of breast cancer or ovarian cancer.  Committed to reducing the risk for future generations, Soja chose to participate in Climb Against the Odds to be active in preventing the disease.  Her mountaineering and outdoor experiences include climbs to Mt. Kilimanjaro, base camp of Mt. Everest twice, Mt. Annapurna and, most recently, Mt. Kailas in Tibet with Climb Against the Odds training guide Cathy Ann Taylor, who introduced Soja to the climb.
		Debra Parker, 55 – Missoula, Mont. Debra Parker is extremely grateful for her good health, but she will be participating in Climb Against the Odds in honor and memory of her close friends who have experienced cancer and found their way through the process with grace to spare.  In August, Debra’s close friend Valerie passed away just two months after receiving her second cancer diagnosis.  She is motivated by a sense of adventure, goal-setting and the desire to achieve something she might have previously thought would not be possible.
		Genevieve Roja, 31 – San Francisco, survivor For Genevieve Roja, cancer has taken many loved ones but also left a few surviving in its wake – including herself.  At 26, Genevieve was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.  Unemployed and scared, she was extremely hopeful and had a strong support network to rely on.  When she emerged from her treatment, she set out to find an opportunity to work with young cancer survivors and began working with the Marin Cancer Project.  After co-founding Safe Cosmetics Campaign: Marin (now Teens for Safe Cosmetics), Genevieve came to the Breast Cancer Fund, where she currently serves as Education and Outreach Coordinator.  She will follow a long tradition of Breast Cancer Fund staff climbers.
		Kishan Shah, 33 – Santa Monica, Calif. Kishan Shah is an adjunct professor of philosophy, culture and the practice of yoga at University of California , Los Angeles, teaches yoga at Exhale Center for Sacred Movement in Venice, Calif., and is currently finishing his clinical doctorate degree in ayurvedic medicine at the American University of Complimentary Medicine. For Kishan this climb is a sacred pilgrimage, known as “yatra” in Indian culture. He sees this journey as a potent affirmation of the trials and success of all those participating. His intention is to hold sacred space for the team as a spiritual guide and teacher of yoga, and his goal for the sacred climb of Mt. Shasta is to raise money and awareness around breast cancer prevention.
		Cathy Ann Taylor, 44 – Sausalito, Calif. A Friend of the Fund since 1997, Cathy Ann has been a team member and training leader on eight Climb Against the Odds expeditions including  Mt. McKinley (1998), Mt. Fuji (2000), Mt. Rainier (2005) and Mt. Shasta (2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007) and has raised over $250,000 through her climbing efforts.  Inspired by her grandmother and a close friend who both had breast cancer, Cathy Ann uses her strength to honor theirs in participating in events and expeditions to raise funds for breast cancer prevention.  After 17 years with Mountain Travel Sobek, Cathy Ann started her own company, Cattara, in early 2008.  In addition to continuing to guide for MTS, she will bring an international dimension to the Breast Cancer Fund’s outdoor challenges by leading the inaugural 15-day Sacred Trek in Bhutan in November 2008.   She has been recognized by Outdoor magazine for her volunteer efforts and received the Andrea Ravinett Martin Strong Voices award at the Breast Cancer Fund’s annual Heroes Tribute in 2006.
		Diane Toby, 60 – Woodside, Calif. Diane Toby learned about Climb Against the Odds through training guide Cathy Ann Taylor and climber Laura Lifland, and she was present at Mt. Shasta to welcome them off the mountain after last year’s expedition.  Inspired by the Breast Cancer Fund’s mission to identify and advocate for the elimination of the environmental causes of breast cancer, she will be climbing in honor of several close friends and family members who have experienced the disease.
		Mark, 44, Nancy, 45, and Brandon, 15, Wilhelm – Evergreen, Colo. Mark, Nancy and Brandon Wilhelm will participate in Climb Against the Odds together in honor of Mark’s mother, who passed away from breast cancer in 1986 at the age of 49.  As an only child, breast cancer has had a profound impact on his life, and Nancy and Brandon equally share Mark’s motivation for ensuring fewer families will face the effects of the disease.  Residing in the mountains outside of Denver, Mark and Brandon have already scaled 13 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, and Brandon has committed to climbing all 54 by the age of 21!  They will soon be able to add Mt. Shasta to their list of great mountaineering endeavors.
		Amanda Williams, 19 – San Diego, Calif. Initially drawn to Climb Against the Odds to support and recognize family and friends who have dealt with breast cancer, Amanda Williams has a much more personal reason to join this year’s team.  She recently learned that her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Awed by her strength and resiliency, Amanda says that standing beside her mother makes her feel united with every woman, and she will attempt to summit Mt. Shasta in June to represent all women who have struggled with this devastating disease.
(Michele, left, with her son)		Michele Zousmer, 57 – Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. A close friend to Laura Evans, Michele Zousmer sat on the board of Expedition Inspiration, the precursor to Climb Against the Odds.  Laura had survived an aggressive form of cancer and was determined to climb the world’s highest peaks to prove her body was still hers to command and that it could surmount anything nature could throw in her path.  Michele scaled Mt. Whitney and Mt. Kilimanjaro alongside Laura.  She also recently spent two weeks on Mt. Everest with her son.  With the cause very close to her heart, she will participate in her first Climb Against the Odds in June.