The survivor and the summit

一个女人的征服癌症和乞力马扎罗山的故事

Breast cancer survivor Bree Sandlin’s inner strength and inner voice helped her overcome two of the toughest challenges she’s ever faced.

“继续。把一只脚放在领先于其他的，”两个孩子的母亲告诉她，因为她作战凶悍，Ⅲ期三阴性乳腺癌在2012年‘我有一个伟大的团队支持我’。

Two years later, the 39-year-old cancer survivor whispered similar encouraging words as she and husband Stephen scaled Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain.

“我是从这个天天学习，”布里的挑战八天的爬升过程中告诉自己。“我的生活将是这方面的经验更好。”

Always active and adventurous, the Sandlins participated in Survivor Summit, sponsored by the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Each year, the program teams cancer survivors and caregivers with seasoned guides who navigate the mountain as they raise pledge funds to benefit cancer patients. For the Sandlins, the trip was a way to honor the more than 32 million people affected by cancer worldwide.

Averaging about five miles a day, it took the climbers six days to reach Kilimanjaro’s 19,000-foot summit. Their descent took another two.

It was a climb that mirrored Bree’s arduous year of treatment in many ways.

“攀登乞力马扎罗山的比喻和癌症的旅程是非凡的，”布里说。“我们每天爬到我想起，这是真的很难和你的东西不能独自完成。

You tell yourself to keep going and not give up. You also remind yourself that this climb is nothing compared to chemotherapy.”

与地形、海拔和条件,斯蒂芬says the trek was “the equivalent of doing 14 miles per day and climbing six mountains over eight days.” The climbers worked their way through a rain forest and warm temperatures at the base, but as they advanced, the trees thinned out and the climate became windy and cold. Only 20% of Kilimanjaro climbers make it to the summit.

Most are content to walk the rim instead of going the full distance to the peak.

为15500尺，布里被击中高原反应，以及随之而来的恶心和头痛几乎持续阻止她。就行了医生给了她一种类固醇是保持她去。

That experience reminded her that a great team is invaluable and the importance of leaning on others.

Once she was back on her feet, Bree and Stephen were determined to reach the summit with their team.

在他们登顶的最后一天，该集团早早起床，爬上直到午饭。然后，他们休息的营地约9个小时。晚上10点，他们在黑暗中爬几乎直线上升，直到他们在8，第二天早上到达乞力马扎罗山的顶部。

When they arrived at the summit, the temperature was zero degrees, the wind was wailing at 40 miles per hour and the sun was rising.

The group had an hour at the top of the mountain to savor the view, reflect on their accomplishments, think about the people for whom they climbed and how the experience will influence the rest of their lives.

For Bree, it was about the beauty of the moment and the people who helped get her there, especially Stephen. They both thought about their 8-year-old twin sons, Beck and Elliott, back home in Katy, Texas, with supportive family members, who also were vital during Bree’s treatment.

“我完全失去它后,我认为如何cancer teaches us the beauty of the world and how the Kilimanjaro experience reinvented that lesson,” she says. “Oh, and I told everyone in the group that I loved them at least four times. It was glorious up there.”

回到家里的凯蒂，布雷和斯蒂芬说，他们两个每天都想着行程。

“It wasn’t just about making it to the summit,” says Stephen. “It was about personal growth, and proving that you have the strength to do something like this. I was so excited and proud to share this with Bree, and we certainly brought home many lessons to our boys, family members and community.”