Sonja Lang
Sonja's page
Fundraising for Cancer Research UK
Story
The Final
Back to the beginning
Where there is a will there is a way :
While I can only emotionally support my mother
Your donations to Cancer Research are making a real difference to cancer
research and also
You aided me, mentally as I recalled the conversations / comments on the
hard ascent on summit day
You donated GBP 7,350
A positive side effect I encountered for myself
You helped me to overcome that feeling of being helpless
enabling me to do something.
If the desired target can't be influenced or achieved
the next question has to be : can the goal / solution be redifined ?
As my wish to solve my personal situation with cancer is objectively
impossible
a goal of working on the general issue of cancer was possible
I also would like to pass on that Cancer Research contacted me. They
appreciate your contributions.
Cancer Research UK funds research every week of over 6 mio GBP.
Personal fund raisers and donations are a vital part of financing for
Cancer Research.
Thank you for making a difference !
Sonja
Update 3:
The Return
I just arrived back this morning from Tanzania.
I am glad to report :
Mission accomplished
I also can tell that it was the most exhausting, physically and mentally, thing I have done in my life.
After 8 hours of ascent I reached summit,
3 hours later back down at Kibo,
after 2 hours of sleeping (altitude sickness)
The remaining 3 hours to that nights camp seemed almost like the walk in the park.
While the first days I was literally going strong, on the night of summiting (start at midnight from Kibo), my body did not even want to get going. The air so cold, that the eye area - which was the only part not covered was freezing, the body from the the work of making it move real hot, I could not speak (certainly not laugh), every step was pain. Only Nico - my guide - talking to me not to give up, the thought of the cause and the support for it through your donations and some of the encouraging conversations kept me going at times.
For those who wanted to wait and see if I make it, or those who had lost the link before:
http://www.justgiving.com/Sonja-Lang/
A full report, with more picutres and the certificate of the summit reached will follow.
Sonja
Update 2 :
The final preparation and my body is already exhausted from the training.
Trusting in my renowned determination though
and the task is clear
John Reader translated it in his book "Kilimanjaro":
gradient averages 1 : 3.3 on the hike to summit
that is equivalent of 9 Empire State Buildings laid end to end on an incline of around 16 degrees.
At 4710 meters where the final ascent to the Kili beginns oxygen is just at 50 % of London altitude levels
which is the equivalent of hiking with only one lung.
4.000 people attempt to climp Kili every year, but only 1.400 actually reach summit at 5,895 m
Around 100 people die every year of altitude sickness
All of this is daunting but it is to raise awareness and money for Cancer Research
The support and conversations will help me to make it up there
There was temptation in the "I would have sponsored you with the same amount if you would have taken the cable car up to Wallberg (German mountain)"
But ultimately I think the challenge it entails made people stop and listened to the why on earth .....
Everybody who would like to look at the website or donate to Cancer Research :
Update 1 :
Wooooow
I have received so much feedback. It shows that everybody can be effected, some directly, some indirectly as they had a loved one effected.
The generousity in comments, well wishing to the task and the donations to Cancer Research turn into a great responsibility but also are motivation to make it - for the cause and the people who support it.
The short notice from initially thinking about it, organising trip and fund raising to actual departure means that preparation time is short. Hitting hardest is the lack of training time. The programme now is extensive and while normal training calls for 1 of training followed by 1 resting day, here an insight into my schedule
Monday
1 hour of personal training (I chose the right person for the job)
1 hour of fight club (cardio, upper and lower body exercise)
45 minutes of spinning
walk home took 30 minutes instead of normal 20 mins
living on 4th floor without an elevator added step exercise
Tuesday
feeling my muscles, high heels helped during the day, but when they got switched for trainers .....
1 hour of spinning - resting day
Wednesday plan is
heels much lower today, can't move yet but
1 h pilates
1h 15 mins endurance spinning
possibly stepper
Getting the gear together is an ongoing project.
Little insight:
My Mom while concerned about the trip - she is so excited that she forgot to try to talk me out of it and is contributing with some of my organisational problems I have encountered.
I will be wearing her hat she used during chemo on the summit.
I will be wearing her hat she used during chemo on the summit.
If you want to stay up to date of the progress of donations or would still like to donate yourself:
Thank you
Sonja
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear family, friends, clients and colleagues ....
My motto
Where there is a will there is a way
Not for everybody and everything though
We still can't cure a lot off illnesses
Cancer
Is a random occurance
It's path unpredictable
We have to take the first step
Learn more about it - to help to lift the insecurity about it's development and the future
and ultimately to find a cure.
Cancer research
While I started supporting Cancer Research 9 years ago
I was diagnosed 4 years ago but had a lucky escape
My mother has been battling with inoperable cancer for almost 1 year
As I can't take steps to cure cancer
I can take steps to raise money to research it
I will be climbing Kilimanjaro
* Facing fear of hight (got vertigo)
* Altitude sickness (had it in 2003)
* Cold (temperature -10/-20 degrees celcius)
flying out 8 August 2009
So maybe one day someone out there won't have to fear the word cancer anymore
Please support and donate to cancer research.
On JustGiving
This will NOT finance the trip. While I can see the fund movement on the account, JustGiving, will collect and pass them straight to Cancer Research. They will reclaim Gift Aid from eligble donations from UK taxpayers.
Barclays Capital will match 1 - 1 any money you contributed to this fund raiser up to an amount of GBP 750.
So please dig deep and donate now !!!
Sonja