My drive to do this event is the wonderful opportunity to blend two things that I absolutely love in life: hiking mountains and helping patients with cancer.

I have been directly involved in cancer care for the past 16 years and fortunate to be part of one of the nation’s largest oncology provider networks – The US ONCOLOGY Network, working for Texas Oncology in Paris, Texas. Our company, Texas Oncology, administers about half of all cancer care in Texas, with 175 locations and more than 420 physicians. I am also one of two founders of “Together we CAN make a difference” cancer support group, which allowed me to know my patients to a much deeper level.

Recently, my special friend Cindy Martin is actively going through multiple myeloma and I had the privilege to be in touch with her feelings, fears and her tremendous will power to fight this cancer and continue to live her life.

Climbing a mountain has so many similarities as the challenge of going through cancer. You can find yourself at the bottom of a mountain, wondering if you are ever going to make it to the top, doubting that you might not have enough energy to do it or thinking fearfully of a long list of bad things that might happen. But once on the top of that mountain, a deep feeling of accomplishment will take over you, mixed with the powerful feeling of “I DID IT!” and a complete confidence that you can conquer anything in life. Somehow, I wish all these “top-of-the-mountain” feelings and positive energy to be sent to Cindy and all my patients that struggle in their battle with cancer.