Why?

"Why are you doing this?"

This is a question that is asked of me frequently.  Why am I doing this?  Why did I start Climb for Cancer Care?  Love is the easy answer.  I saw my uncle (and namesake of the Rockin' Rod Foundation) courageously battle cancer for 2.5 years before giving in.  I remember -vividly- the effects Rod's cancer had on all those around him.  I recall tears, running down the faces of my family.  I remember feeling lost and detached, not really knowing what to think or feel; almost a state of emotional paralysis.  Sure, I cried -bloody hard, too- but those tears were because of my loved ones.  I wasn't crying on my own.  In the days after Rod's passing, I knew I had to seek the solace and solitude of the mountains.  I went climbing to clear my head, and yeah, to escape.

The rolling steep terrain of Mt. Washington and the fickle March weather transcended me to a different place.  I was inside myself, breathing in the purity of the air, and it burned deep inside my out-of-shape lungs.  My legs grew tired and sluggish, but I pushed on, again, not knowing why really.  At the top of Central Gully, I cried.  I cried hard.  I found my release, and felt significantly better.  It was here, that I decided I was going to use climbing as a vehicle to raise money for cancer patients and their families.  It was here that all of a sudden that my climbing no longer felt a selfish pursuit of adrenaline bursts.  Most importantly, it was here that I came up with the name, "The Rockin' Rod Foundation".

Fast forward 15 months from this point and I summited Mt. Hood in Oregon on July 3, 2006.  I had raised $8,000 for patients and families at the Marshall L. and Susan Gibson Pavilion at Maine Medical Center.  On the summit, at 5:45 a.m., I had a Miller High Life with my uncle.

Every climber on this team has their own story to answer, "Why are you doing this?"  As we continue to raise funds, thanks to your selfless generosity, I hope you take a moment to ask yourself the same question.  

So, why are you doing this?

-Pat