CANCER SURVIVORS CONQUER MT KILIMANJARO
Baku, May 13 (AZERTAC). Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and undergoing chemotherapy have much in common, according to Ilse-Mari Hane-kom of Big Brother South Africa fame.
Hanekom and Lionel Greenberg, who also "beat" non-Hodgkins lymphoma, arrived home yesterday from their ascent up Africa`s highest mountain.
Accompanying them was Robby Kojetin, who last year became the 17th South African to climb Mount Everest.
"Climbing on the mountain is exactly like a cancer experience," said Hanekom. "On much of the walk I could only see 10 metres ahead. All there was to focus on was this small path. That`s what it`s like having chemo (forgetting about the rest of the world around you).
"Also, just like the way chemo goes through you making you sick and tired, the same thing happens high up on Kilimanjaro, where there is less oxygen. And, just like cancer treatment, you take everything step by step."
Most of all, she added, it`s a struggle one needed to win.
"You don`t survive cancer, you beat it. It`s a lot to do with mindset.
"Once you`ve beaten cancer, you must live life to the fullest. That`s like reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro. The day we reached the summit was the first day the weather was clear. There in front of us were glaciers and the crater."
Kojetin remarked that as Kilimanjaro was a shorter climb than Everest, there was less opportunity to acclimatize to the altitude.
The trio, dubbed the Team of Hope, accompanied by a cameraman and local Tanzanian porters, returned with a soccer ball they took up the mountain to mark the World Cup. On it were messages from other South Africans with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. - Sapa
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