Written by Mandi following her Mount Everest Base Camp Trek
Mandi with best friend, Brittany Crosby. Brittany died from ovarian cancer at the young age of 30 in 2019.
"It was never a dream of mine to hike to Mount Everest Base Camp. It never even seemed like it was in the realm of possibility. But then all of a sudden it was. And I asked myself, why would I limit my dreams? After all, isn't it in our dreams in which we can live outlandishly? It's in our dreams where we allow ourselves to visit the places we would never go in person... to experience the things we will likely never see in real life.
I then allowed myself to admit that I have been through so much. I deserve to live out my dreams.
When I was 28 years old I was handed a diagnosis of stage IIIc high grade serous carcinoma ovarian cancer, accompanied with an unforgiving 20% survival rate of 5 years. That was over 14 years ago. Why was I blessed with longevity while others aren't? What can I do with the time I have left, whether it be 1 day or 100 years? How can I lead a fulfilling life geared towards purpose and honoring those that are no longer with us?
So then this led me to ask myself another question.
Why NOT me?
So why did I say yes to this opportunity?
It wasn't for any sort of attention or notoriety. I didn't say yes just so people would cheer me on on Instagram and Facebook.
I climbed to honor not only the women like me that have been diagnosed with this disease, but also for the caregivers that never receive enough credit, the loved ones that wiped away our tears while they tried to hide their own, and for those that held us up as we did our best not to fall.
I said yes for my best friend Brittany because she's no longer here to climb for herself.
I climbed for me, to remind myself of my beating heart, the breath in my lungs and the gift of life I have been blessed with. I said yes because although my body once betrayed me, She is still whole and full and functional. I said yes to remind myself that I am still alive. I said yes because there are thousands of women that can't.
I said yes simply because I still can.
My favorite quote sums up my why:
I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say, 'Because of you, I didn't give up.'
And as always @_brittany_crosby_, this one was for you."
Edited/significantly shortened for some semblance of brevity!
#ovare2023 #ovarcome #everestbasecamp #EverestBaseCampTrek #anymountainsong
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All Rights Reserved | Colleen’s Dream Foundation
All Rights Reserved | Colleen’s Dream Foundation