This past weekend six of us on the Everest team (as well as a friend and girlfriend of two trekkers) got together in Keystone, Colorado to meet some of those we didn’t know, as well as for some training. Mark Peters from Dallas, was kind enough to open his family’s home to us, which was beautiful.

On Saturday we headed up to hike Grays and Torries… two of Colorado’s 14′ers. (for those of you who don’t know, a 14′er is a mountain at 14,000 feet of elevation). For three of the hikers this was their first 14er, and for Mark, it was his first hike ever! It was a beautiful day in Colorado, and a successful summit!

James Chippendale was along on the trip, and he is one of the founders of LHS. It was great getting to know him and learning more about how LHS was formed and more about our upcoming trek. I’m even more excited to be part of such a great organization! And although I’m also looking forward to our trek, it’s really starting to sink in as to what actually is going to be involved in our journey……. cold conditions and definitely a lack of our every day comforts! But I’m up for the challenge!

Thanks to all who have been so supportive and for your donations! This is really an amazing foundation!

Pictures of our weekend will be posted soon!

Born in Reno, Nevada and grew up in San Francisco. Received a football/baseball scholarship at University of the Pacific and majored in Sports Management. The last two years of his life has been dedicated to the cancer community.

Ben moved to Boulder, Colorado in 2002 to take a job as the Sales and Marketing Director of RallySport Health and Fitness. Two years into the job he met two-time terminal cancer survivor Sean Swarner. At the time Sean was attempting to climb the highest mountain on every continent to raise awareness for his charity, The CancerClimber Association, and to give hope to those fighting cancer. He still had Kosciusko, Denali, and Mt. Vinson left to climb.

Sean hounded Ben for 6 months for a free membership. Ben wouldn’t budge. Until one day at a BBQ the famous beer pong match happened. Sean and Ben battled at beer pong for hours and learned much about each other. Sean was a survivor, a mountain climber, and a hero. Not really a specialist in fundraising, PR, and Marketing. Ben saw and opportunity to help Sean raise awareness and scream from the highest mountains in the world the message of hope and inspiration.

A month later Ben cashed in his 401k to support him and Sean and help make this dream a reality. With Ben’s background and Sean’s desire to Keep Climbing they were off to change the world. With a few thousand dollars and a lot of hard work the seven summits have been completed and hundreds and thousands of cancer patients across the world have drawn hope from the CancerClimber Association.

“ I live life by the 4 L’s… Live, Love, Laugh, and Learn. Everyday is a new experience. Live it, love it, laugh at it and learn from it. Focus on the good and discard the bad. It is easier to be mad and mean then to forgive and smile. Practice random acts of kindness. Hug those close to you and tell them how wonderful they are. Help a stranger, open a door for someone, carry your neighbor’s groceries, or just look at someone and give them a compliment. You will make their day, change their life, or just make them smile. I love life, I see the good, and hope for the best. You can’t fail if you don’t give up…Keep Climbing!”

Thank you Love Hope Strength!!!! I am so honored to be a part of this event! Shannon, you’re the bomb, thank you for putting this together.

Donate to the LOVE HOPE STRENGTH FOUNDATION on Jamie West-Oram’s behalf:

Jamie West-Oram is the guitarist with The Fixx, formed in 1980 and still going strong, touring mainly in North America and this year road-testing new songs for their next album. The Fixx are known for their many hits such as “Stand Or Fall”, “One Thing Leads To Another”, “Saved By Zero”, “Deeper And Deeper”, “Secret Separation,” “Driven Out”, “How Much Is Enough?” and many more…

The Fixx has been Jamie West-Oram’s main musical focus since its formation but he has also played guitar for many other outstanding artists and producers including Cyndi Lauper, Brian Eno, Rupert Hine, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, Bob Geldof, Kirsty MacColl, Laurie Anderson, Depeche Mode, Darryl Hall, Jane Siberry, Benjamin Zephaniah and many more…

Jamie is happily married to Bibi, with a son, Jack, and stepson, Marlon.

Donate to the LOVE HOPE STRENGTH FOUNDATION on Glenn Tilbrook’s behalf:

Glenn is the frontman of Squeeze, the band he formed with his songwriting partner Chris Difford in the summer of 1973. In a career that tasted early critical and commercial fame in the U.K. and U.S. with albums such as ‘Cool for Cats’ ‘Argy Bargy’ and ‘East Side Story’, the band were loved and respected for their strand of timeless, literate pop music. , They broke up in 1982 needing a very big rest only to reform 3 years later. 1987 saw the release of their largest selling album in the U.S., ‘Babylon and on’. From that point on, Squeeze made albums that artistically got  better,  (’Frank’, ‘Play’ and ‘Some Fantastic Place’) but commercially fared worse. Time, (and the promotional budgets of the major labels) was not on their side. Squeeze disintegrated into a star trek like pile of minerals and salt in 1998. Since then Glenn Tilbrook has been touring extensively in the UK, America, Australia and Japan as a solo artist, and in the U.K. and U.S. with his band The Fluffers.  2001 saw the release of his first solo album, The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook, 2004 his 2nd, Transatlantic Ping Pong, both critically acclaimed.  In 2006 came the release of Amy Pickards feature length documentary Glenn Tilbrook: One For The Road about life as a touring musician on the road in the US.  Glenn is currently working with The Fluffers on his 3rd solo album due for release next year.<br><br>

In a strange twist of fate April of this year saw the start of a re-release campaign by Universal and Warners of the entire Squeeze back catalogue. These releases are something that Chris and Glenn are very proud of and so in tribute to themselves they decided to reform Squeeze. Their eight years away was enough to elevate their status from quite good to legendary and in July and August they played a sold out tour of the U.S. They are now looking forward to touring, post everest, in November and December around the UK.

The 29,035-foot giant known as Mount Everest tortures its challengers with life-threatening conditions such as 100 mph winds, the dramatic loss of oxygen, snowstorms, and deadly avalanches. Climbers of Everest are faced with incredible dangers, but for Sean Swarner the obstacles he overcame prior to his summiting make his story even more compelling.
Sean isn’t just a cancer survivor; he is truly a medical marvel. He is the only person in the world ever to have been diagnosed with both Hodgkin’s disease and Askin’s sarcoma. He was diagnosed in the fourth and final stage of Hodgkin’s disease at the age of thirteen, when doctors expected him to live for no more than three months. He overcame his illness only to be stricken a second time when a deadly golf ball-sized tumor attacked his right lung. After removal of the Askin’s tumor, Sean was expected to live for less than two weeks. A decade later and with only partial use of his lungs, Sean became famous for being the first cancer survivor to climb Mount Everest.

Sean’s successful summiting of Mount Everest was driven not only by his desire to reach the highest peak in the world but also by his determination to use his accomplishment as a way to bring hope to others facing seemingly insurmountable odds and to encourage them to keep going. By showing those affected by cancer how he has conquered some of the most difficult obstacles life could offer, Sean inspires others with the will to live and the courage to continue progressing forward. Living proof that cancer patients can and do recover, his story will encourage those touched by cancer to dream big and never give up. Despite life’s setbacks, Sean believes those dreams are always in reach.

Sean’s story is not just about illness, heartache, and pain; it’s about something greater. It’s about hope. It’s about helping others and never quitting. It’s about personal battles with the elements and coming out on top of the world . . . literally.

After the summit of Everest, Sean had a desire and dream to continue moving forward and reaching people around the world. Climbing the highest mountain on each continent became his next goal. Proving to others that anything is possible, Sean successfully summited Mt. McKinley, June 19th, , to be the first cancer survivor to complete the seven summits.

Such a story of perseverance to struggle forward through all elements provides ideal situations for partnerships to develop, benefitting both parties. Every expedition, Sean has always used Energizer batteries and has tested numerous others with no comparison. There is nothing else he would trust to have on the mountain to battle the elements with him, nor would he consider another energy source for such an important last expedition.

Donate to the LOVE HOPE STRENGTH FOUNDATION on Damien Drake’s behalf:

Stash Slionski is an accomplished cinematographer, photographer and producer. He has worked with biggest names in entertainment. Stash and his business partner Damien Drake have made a name for themselves as one of the best music documentary teams in the business and can’t wait to capture the biggest show of their careers for the world to experience forever!
Website

Mike Peters is known primarily as lead singer and songwriter of internationally acclaimed Welsh rock and roll band, The Alarm. He is also a cancer survivor two times over. Mike has successfully fought The Big C on two occasions; once in 1995 when he battled Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and more recently in 2006 when he was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocyte Leukemia (CLL). Throughout a six month spell of high dose chemotherapy, Mike Peters continued to play and perform with his band The Alarm, taking to the stage each time in his trademark ‘green’ combat fatigues (which became his health talisman after a faith healer gave him the revelation that ‘green’ was the healing color in his life). Mike Peters subsequently led The Alarm back into the U.K. Top 30 in February, with the stomping ‘Superchannel’ and orchestrated the international release of ‘Under Attack’ (The Alarm’s most recent album), to worldwide critical acclaim.

“Mike Peters – On the Road to Recovery”, a revealing BBC documentary chronicling Mike’s inspiring story, was screened in October 2006. The cameras were allowed into the treatment and dressing rooms of Mike’s life throughout the last six months of his cancer fight. The filming also included Mike and his wife Jules in their successful struggle to conceive a child through IVF. Evan Michael Peters was born January 1, 2007.

Mike Peters formed The Alarm in Rhyl, North Wales, in 1981 and has led the band to hit records in each of the three decades since: 16 UK hit singles (68 Guns, Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke, Spirit Of ‘76, Rain In The Summertime, 45 R.P.M. etc.), and a host of successful albums with over 5 million sales worldwide. Mike Peters has appeared with or been joined on stage by such rock and roll luminaries as U2, Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

Donate to the LOVE HOPE STRENGTH FOUNDATION on Slim Jim Phantom’s behalf:

Slim Jim Phantom has secured his place as a true rock n roll icon. As the legendary drummer for the Stray Cats, Phantom (alongside band mates Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker,) spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 80s. With a love for 50s rock n roll, the Stray Cats took inspiration from the bygone era and mixed it with their youthful energy and aggression. This produced an updated hard-edged rockabilly sound that saw them conquer London, Europe and later the US, gaining fans among the likes of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Robert Plant along the way.

Born in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City, Jim grew up listening to his parents’ jazz records and by the age of ten took up the drums. “To be honest I think the drums chose me, I can’t remember ever wanting to do anything else.” remembers Phantom. Immersing himself in the art of drumming and the world of music, Jim took lessons with Mousie Alexander (who played with Benny Goodman) which included the study of jazz and working through books by Jim Chapin and Ted Reed.

By the late 70s Jim was playing in bands with school friend and bassist Lee Rocker and they soon joined forces with guitarist Brian Setzer. The rest, as they say is history. During downtime from the Stray Cats Jim has worked with some of the world’s top artists and has played a part in many successful groups notably “Phantom, Rocker and Slick” featuring guitarist Earl Slick which produced two popular albums and “The Swing Cats” featuring guitar ace Danny B Harvey. Jim also enjoyed a stint playing with “The Killer,” rock n roll originator, Jerry Lee Lewis.

Over 25 years and millions of record sales later, Slim Jim Phantom continues to inspire and excite audiences worldwide. With a sound, style and image that remains as fresh today as it ever was, Phantom has cemented his place among rock royalty. Considered by many as the coolest drummer in rock n roll, Phantom’s influence is still clearly felt on today’s music scene with countless rockabilly drummers imitating his pioneering stand-up style.

Between tours Jim can often be found jamming with friends at the world famous “Cat Club” on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, a nightclub that he owns and runs. The Cat Club will be celebrating their 8th Anniversary on July 8, 2007.

Most recently Jim has been involved with three main projects; his own explosive self-named roots-rock trio, “Dead Men Walking” with Kirk Brandon, Mike Peters and Captain Sensible and “The Head Cat” starring Lemmy Kilmister and Danny B Harvey. 2007 will mark the release of Dead Men Walking’s long awaited originals album and sees Jim preparing for tour dates in the US, Europe and Australasia.

Contact: Deborah Radel or Heather Lindner at DRPR, 310.360.3997 or email deborah@drpr.us

www.SlimJimPhantom.com.