Two emotional ascents

Ran on Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Two emotional ascents
Women raise money for cancer prevention

By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff

There's nothing easy about climbing a mountain, but it helps if it's for a good cause.
Jo Lindoo of Eau Claire and former WQOW-TV (Channel 18) news anchor Brooke Allyson climbed separate mountains to raise money for the prevention of breast cancer through an organization called the Breast Cancer Fund.
Lindoo planned on climbing with Allyson, but was turned down by the organization because she suffers from seizures as a result of the removal of a cancerous brain tumor 12 years ago.
She didn't let that deter her. She worked to raise money and climb a different, less technical mountain with her friends Gretchen Beckstrom and Sonja Gilbertson, people Lindoo said were invaluable parts of the team.
Ascending the rubble of Mount Quandary, near Breckenridge, Colo., in three hours and 40 minutes, and seizure free, Lindoo spent an hour at the summit on July 6.
"I went off by myself, sat down and talked to all the people that donated," Lindoo said while getting emotional. "I thanked them, told them they were a wonderful person, and I was grateful they took the opportunity to help me ... it was very moving."
Allyson also had a moving experience, but it was more of a physical movement. On July 11, a vehicle-sized rock fell from Mount Shasta, scattering climbers. One climber was grazed by a rock from the fall. The woman was not seriously injured but did not finish climbing. Neither did about two-thirds of the group of 40 climbers.
"Everyone was uncontrollably shaken after that," Allyson said.
Continuing on to reach the 14,162-foot summit in nine hours, Allyson said she was as prepared as she could be, but it was challenging.
"It was by far the most difficult thing I've ever done," she said. "You can't imagine what it's going to be like on the mountain."
The mountain had much less snow than usual, making the climb one of the most difficult the veteran guides leading the money-raising climbers had ever done.
Lindoo also came upon little snow and a lot of rocks and rubble challenging the ease of both the ascent and descent, she said.
Both climbers exceeded the Breast Cancer Fund's goal of $5,000 per climber. Allyson raised just over $5,000 and Lindoo $7,000. The two were drawn to the organization because of the unique emphasis it has on the prevention of cancer.
"The key about Breast Cancer Fund is they're the only nationwide organization preventing breast cancer," Allyson said.
Lindoo said she is encouraging people to be aware of the products used on their bodies, like the products the Breast Cancer Fund through research has flagged as environmental causes of breast cancer.