I just made it to Tokyo after a 13-hour flight from Boston, and though I’ve traveled to Japan over 15 times since 2009 for business, landing here this time feels different.

When preparing for this trip, it dawned on me that I’ve never experienced the country unfiltered and as a tourist. On my business trips, I’ve always been accompanied by colleagues and on a schedule, getting off the plane and going straight to the hotel, then to the Takeda office for meetings, business dinners at the end of the day and back to the hotel. Mount Fuji has always been there in the background, visible from the windows of conference and hotel rooms, beautiful and alluring.

This trip is going to be completely different. I packed hiking boots and tourist clothes instead of business attire; we’ll be staying in a traditional hut on the mountain instead of a hotel. I’ll be out and about in Tokyo for a whole day as we do a warm-up hike instead of just walking back and forth to the office. And for the first time, I’ll be hiking up Mt. Fuji instead of seeing it in the distance. It has not sunk in yet.

In my role as Head of Patient Advocacy for Takeda Oncology, I work closely with patients and advocacy organizations. I’ve shared in their successes as well as their challenges. But being able to actually walk side by side with the myeloma community — the patients, the caregivers, the physicians — is incredibly impactful and sheds a new light on the work I do every day.

Being in a different country, I can’t help but think about my family. While they might think I’m crazy for taking on this climb, they’ve also been incredibly supportive. My husband is a big hiker — on a recent trip to France we hiked the Pyrenees range together — and has stood by me throughout my training. Even my fashion forward daughter has tagged along on trips to REI to pick out gear and supplies and to help me pick out the most fashionable hiking boots!
As I step off the plane though, I’m thinking about Team Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma. Hiking Mt. Monadnock together in June bonded us, and I’m excited to see them again and continue this journey together.