Life is precious. You shouldn't let anything stop you from achieving your goals. That's exactly the philosophy that one woman adopted. Skiier Jamie Shandro, an outdoors writer at Outside Online, has been battling breast cancer, but she refused to let that stop her from living life to the fullest.
Every year, she and her family take a trip to Mount Rainier. And she wasn't going to let cancer stop her. As she wrote in Outside Online, "Well, I was taking an oral chemotherapy medication for my metastatic breast cancer, my third line of treatment in the four years since I'd been diagnosed with an incurable disease. Translation: I was feeling fatigued and mildly queasy but enthusiastic by nature and powered by optimism."
In fact, she ended up skinning her way up Mount Rainier with her family. For those not in the know, skinning involves uphill skiing. You're practically climbing the mountain in skis. At times, Shandro considers that she may have bought off more than she could chew.
Woman Refuses To Let Cancer Stop Her
She said, "On steeper sections, I silently rued my over-practical frugality, laughing at myself when I acknowledged that cancer treatment might also be making this a bit harder than usual. Easier to blame it on the gear."
It became more difficult for her the farther that she went.
She said, "As we ascended I started feeling some nausea, and the steps became more difficult. My body wanted to rest, but I was also determined to help Nina reach her goal. We hit a viewpoint and assessed our timing. Feeling my heart pumping, I told Anna and Nina that I needed to just lay on a sunny rock for about 20 minutes, and that they should keep going ahead. They both told me they were sure I could make it. I told them I thought so too, but that I needed to just sit and I wanted them to get Nina up there. After a bit more back-and-forth and some hugs, they clicked back into their skis and headed uphill together."
The outdoors writer compared her climb to her own battle with cancer. But she said that it's leading her in an uncertain direction. Still, it's all about the journey.
What is certain to me is that each batch of 100 steps is worth it, for the beauty, the journey, and the time outdoors with the people I love. And though my journey up Mount Rainier now is markedly different than it was before my diagnosis, every step is a precious yes.
