JP and Annamarie Kealy

When I think of Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma, I think of JP’s strength, determination and courage to climb any hurdle in front of him. From the day we were accepted to join the Everest Base Camp (EBC) Team, our lives forever changed. It gave this dreadful disease a purpose for JP and me. It wasn’t just about a diagnosis, it was an opportunity to make a difference in our own small way. The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) has given us a gift and we are truly humbled by this opportunity. Meeting our EBC team this past July was the icing on the cake. To be surrounded by other patients, doctors and caregivers who share our optimism was inspiring. I knew from that day forward that these people, this incredible team, would be a part of our lives forever.

Looking forward to 2018 gives us so much hope. In the past year, JP endured 6 months of chemotherapy, a stem cell harvest and a transplant. When he was first diagnosed and we read stories of how horrific the transplant would be, we were nervous. How sick would JP be? What if he gets an infection? However, we trusted his doctors and knew he was getting the best possible care, which allowed us to focus on our trek to EBC. JP walked 2-3 miles in the halls daily and he climbed a “14’er” in Colorado 78 days post-transplant. Now, JP is in complete remission so we can concentrate on training for our trek and fighting for a cure!

This program helps us focus on our many blessings. We have an amazing network of friends and family rallying behind JP. I love the response we get when we share our news that we are climbing to EBC to raise awareness and funds for a cure. We are truly humbled by the outpouring of love and generosity. We are so honored to be climbing to EBC with our team. I can’t imagine the emotions we will share when we reach the top! This team has carried us through an incredibly challenging year and we have no doubt that 2018 will be life changing. The best is yet to come.