WHY

                             ARE

                                    YOU

                                         CLIMBING???





On October 19th, 1981, my brother Bobby passed away from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  He fought  the disease for almost two years and was only 25 years old when he died.  In  2010, I will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa to honor my brother's memory, his adventurous spirit, and the 25 years of life we were lucky to share with him.  Additionally, I am hoping to raise money for two charities, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (www.lls.org) and the Flying Kites Orphanage in Kenya, Africa.(www.flyingkitesglobal.org)  


I am constantly asked, "Why are you climbing?"  Think of the old show "Let's Make a Deal".  There are three doors.  Before you choose a door, you get to see what is behind each one.


Door # 1
As you open this door  you see a child and its family sitting in a doctor's office.  The child has just been diagnosed with Leukemia.  The air is thick with emotions; fear, confusion, anger, despair.  The questions are endless.  What type of treatment?  Is there a cure?  What do we do first?  How  did this happen?   Not a pleasant scene so you close your eyes, shut the door and try to forget what you've seen.

Door #2  
Behind this door you see a child standing over the grave of his mother.  She has died of a curable disease but because she is poor, the cure was not available to her.    Everyone else has left the scene and the child just stands there crying.  He doesn't move because there is no place for him to go.  He has no other family and there are no government agencies to help.  Eventually he will wander into the slums of the city.  If he is lucky, meals will be provided from garbage bins and shelter from abandoned buildings.  You close your eyes again and quickly shut this door also.


Door #3
Healthy children.  Children living in a clean, safe environment .  Children surviving cancer at an amazingly higher rate because of research.  Children who are being given a chance to live, to learn and to become  healthy, productive members of our world wide society.  

You've decided to choose door # 3.  After all, what can you really do to solve the problems behind doors #1 and #2?  You didn't start the diseases.   How can you possibly end the hunger, poverty, and disease plaguing a continent  so many miles away?  Just  pretend you didn't see and  you are not aware of the horrors that some people are forced to live with every day.  Grab the handle and open that door!
 
                                    Not so fast. 
 
                       As Bruce Springsteen says, "The door's open but the ride it aint free." *

Before you can enter you must close your eyes one more time.  Again picture the scenes from doors #1 and #2.  This time, instead of picturing unknown faces, fill the scenes with the faces of those in your family, children, parents, grandchildren, siblings.  Imagine that your loved ones are experiencing these tragedies.  Now ask yourself, "What can I do? "

Realize that EVERYONE has the power within themselves to influence positive changes in our world.  We are all capable of saving lives.  Make a commitment right now to get involved.

           My contribution is to climb Kilimanjaro as a way to raise funds and awareness.  


                          What will your contribution be?