Thank You For Making a World of Difference!

It's hard to believe that just under 18 months ago now, I sat in the chemotherapy ward of the Royal Melbourne Hospital clutching a letter from my oncologist... a letter declaring that I had been "treated for cure and was in remission".

It was a bittersweet moment to say the least. I'd been given my life back! And yet, looking around the ward, at the place that had become my second home during many long months of treatment, I was just one more bald head in a sea of cancer patients - and I would have given ANYTHING to hand each of the men, women and children attached to drips just like mine, their own special letter - to hand them their own life back.

So I made a promise that even if it meant asking one million people for a dollar, I’d raise $1million for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation - a team dedicated to finding a cure for cancer - so that no one else would have to go through what we’d experienced.

And REMISSION POSSIBLE was born.

The first mission?.. an expedition in the Nepalese Himalayas, scaling frozen waterfalls and ascending a 20,000ft summit. I imagined that if this, our opening fundraising attempt raised $50,000 that would be an extraordinary achievement. And it gives me great pleasure to announce that THE FIRST $50,000 TARGET HAS BEEN MET and in fact, blown out of the water!!

The campaign is picking up speed, snowballing with momentum - and ofcourse, none of this would have been possible without the help and generosity of an army of supporters. They are too numerous to thank individually, but you know who you are, and you have my utmost appreciation and respect.

So in a campaign involving one million people, in a bid to raise $1million for cancer research, all that remains now is to make 940,000 more friends to fulfill on a most solemn promise :)

Where to from here you may ask? What exciting adventures await?? Well my friends, you'll have to stay tuned for all the juicy details in upcoming installments.

To your health and happiness,

Amanda xx
E: remissionpossible@gmail.com

Remission Possible presents CARL BARRON!!

You are invited to attend an evening of comedy and music with one of the country's most accomplished stand-up comedians:

**CARL BARRON**

Carl is highly sought after world-wide and has headlined at every major venue and festival across the globe. He is generously donating his time for Remission Possible to help raise funds for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

Join us for an event like no other on Thursday 14 July in the George Jenkins Theatre, Monash University Peninsula Campus, McMahons Road at 8pm.

Tell your friends, bring your family - you don't want to miss this!

Bookings essential at www.monash.edu/mapa or by phoning (03) 9905 1111.

Look forward to seeing you there,

Amanda
remissionpossible@gmail.com

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - But The Adventure Is Far From Over

Now safely back in Melbourne and having recovered from the rounds of medical treatment post our expedition, I wanted to write and express my deepest appreciation to all those who have been involved in the Remission Possible adventure to date.

Special thanks to the members of our Himalayan expedition - I watched in awe as blisters and bruises, giardia, frost nip and long days of utter exhaustion proved no match for you. Thank you for being part of the experience – I know I couldn’t have done it without you.

And to all of our generous supporters - thank you for taking a stand for a world free of cancer and for believing that anything is possible. This campaign involves a million people giving just $1 to raise much-needed funds for research, such that cancer becomes a disease of the past. And with over $40,000 now banked for cancer research, we only need to make 960,000 friends to make the fulfillment of that promise a reality :)

And so the adventure continues... with members of our fundraising team taking on all sorts of inspiring adventures, like my dear friend Fiona "Fee" Hunt, who has set her sights on a half marathon in July this year. When the road ahead feels long and her muscles ache, Fee runs for all the people in her life who "can’t just turn around and say 'no treatment today, I'm too tired". She truly embodies the spirit of Remission Possible and I am proud to share this adventure with her.

If you would like to get involved in raising funds for the Remission Possible campaign, or if you are looking for a guest speaker for your next event and want to gain an insight into the mountainous terrain covered and the adversity overcome to keep a promise to my dear friend Liam, please feel free to contact me at the email address below.

I look forward to sharing the next chapter with you.

To your health and happiness,

Amanda x
remissionpossible@gmail.com

We're On The Adventure of a Lifetime... There's No Holding Back!

Hello and welcome to the Remission Possible website - it’s great to have you here!

In this, my last post before embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, I wanted to send out some important information concerning:

1) **Emergency Contact** details for the Remission Possible Team while in Nepal, and

2) how to **Be Part of the Adventure** by following our daily blog and itinerary.


EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS:
In the event of an emergency, the Remission Possible Team can be contacted via satellite email: trekclimbski@onsatmail.com

(NB: access to this satellite email is limited to emergencies only - to send messages of support, please see details of our blog below)


BE PART OF THE ADVENTURE:
The best way for friends, family and supporters to track our progress while we’re away is to regularly check ‘The Blog’ at: http://blog.trekclimbski.com.au/

Here you’ll find photos, video and daily posts keeping you up-to-date on the latest details of our Himalayan expedition. Please feel free to send the team your messages of support via the blog too – no doubt, there will be many days ahead when we’ll need them.

Everest Base Camp and Island Peak Itinerary:
1 Mar: Depart for Kathmandu, Nepal
3-6 Mar: Final expedition preparations, Kathmandu
7 Mar: Fly into Lukla, commence Himalayan trek
8-13 Mar: Acclimatisation climbs to Namche Bazaar (11,286ft), Dingboche (14,175ft) and Lobuche (16,160ft)
14 Mar: From Lobuche we descend to Gorak Shep alongside the spectacular Khumbu glacier, then ascend Kala Pattar for sunset views of Mt. Everest
15-17 Mar: Acclimatisation climb to Everest Base Camp (17,500ft) and then we continue on to Chhukhung at the foot of Island Peak (this is where we practice the essential mountaineering techniques necessary for our summit attempt)
18-20 Mar: Climb to the summit of Island Peak!! (20,305ft) establishing camps at 16,800ft and 17,100ft
21-23 Mar: Descend down valley, returning via Dingboche, Pangboche and Khunde, where we pay a visit to the Sir Edmund Hillary school and Khunde hospital
24-25 Mar: Continue our trek down valley through Monzu to Lukla
26-29 Mar: Return to Kathmandu
30-31 Mar: Fly home to Melbourne, Australia

We look forward to sharing more stories about our adventure on our successful return in April.

Until then, to your health and happiness,
Amanda xx
remissionpossible@gmail.com

Thank You for Being Part of the Adventure!

Hello and welcome. Please take a moment to watch the 3-minute video on "The Story Behind Remission Possible" featured here - I think it provides a nice introduction into my experience of climbing mountains to date. Because admittedly I don’t know how to use an ice axe or crampons, I have no experience with climbing ropes or harnesses – but in a sense I’ve traversed some interesting terrain over the past 2 years. I’ve seen and done some things I would have never thought possible - and my only hope is that no one else ever goes through that same experience.

The fact that our campaign continues to amass an ever-growing army of supporters serves as a very powerful reminder of just how many people are touched by this thing called cancer and how important our involvement in the Remission Possible adventure is in funding research to help find a cure. So I want to take this opportunity to thank you for being part of that adventure.

In case you missed the link on our Facebook page, I have included Pedro Oliveira’s recently published article “How One Smile Can Fight Cancer” below – I hope you enjoy it.

To your health and happiness,
Amanda x
remissionpossible@gmail.com

How One Smile Can Fight Cancer
By Pedro Oliveira, 14th October 2010

Amanda’s energy just grabs you off the bat. Her contagious smile makes you blissfully unaware this young woman has suffered so much through an invasive disease that afflicts close to 8 million people worldwide each year.

Yet today it was not about those mind numbing stats or picture filled PowerPoint’s talking about an abstract and distant illness and its challenges. My coffee meet this morning, organized by Brian James, was about hearing firsthand the story of a cancer patient who recovered and learning more not about how she coped but what’s she’s been up to since. There were no tears, sombre moments or background Vangelis theme music. There was a rock n’ roll atmosphere and plenty of humour as Amanda talked enthusiastically about Liam whom she met in the cancer patient’s ward and how she’s on a quest to inspire him to recovery..

“What would it take to convince you? I’ll climb a mountain! No... I’ll climb Everest! What else? Ok, I’ll raise funds for cancer research... 100,000 dollars, no! Make that 1 million dollars of fund-raising to help move us towards a cancer free society.”

She’s not being naive or boastful about it. She strongly believes it’s as possible as her statistically defying recovery was after 16 torturous months of chemotherapy.

Nick Farr (one of Australia’s most accomplished high altitude athletes, Everest mountaineer and Director of Trek, Climb, Ski) has come on board and with his help, in March 2011, the Remission Possible team will trek into Everest Base Camp, before ascending a steep snow and ice slope to the summit of Island Peak, which looms at an elevation of 6189m above sea level.

It’s about more than just climbing a mountain of course. It’s about showing people that things are possible and they can make an important contribution towards finding a cure to the leading cause of death worldwide.

Amanda’s story makes it vivid, real and palpable how the human spirit can conquer adversity, adapt and engage others in the same process. She wants to make a difference but most of all she wants to inspire the best in others.

What’s her ultimate goal? She smiles and says “I’d like to speak to my grandchildren about the disease that WAS cancer and how it came to be cured.” What a difference a smile makes.

Remission Possible is Gaining Momentum

What began as a hair-brained idea to prove to fellow cancer patients that anything - including their own remission - is possible, has now become a team target... because it just so happens that a whole host of extraordinary people are equally (crazy and) committed to seeing the goal of cancer cure be realised. And so it gives me great pleasure to welcome Bryan, Naliza, Chhunly, Simon, Jimi, Sheepy, Steph, Luke and Woodsie to the Remission Possible adventure.

In March, 2011, under the direction and guidance of Nick Farr (one of Australia’s most accomplished high altitude athletes, Everest mountaineer and Director of Trek, Climb, Ski) the Remission Possible team will first trek into Everest Base Camp, before ascending a steep snow and ice slope to the summit of Island Peak, which looms at an elevation of 6189m above sea level. It will be cold, it will be confronting and it’s going to take every ounce of courage we can muster.

And if you’re asking “why would a group with no previous mountaineering experience set their sights on the big, bold, audacious goal of climbing in the Himalayas” allow me to explain: I'm looking down the barrel at our future, with more men and women and children being diagnosed with tumours - being sidelined from the game of life - and I say not if I have anything to do with it!

While the task of curing cancer may seem insurmountable, how do you take on any great challenge – well, one step at a time. How do you get through the removal of your breast and armpit, undertake many hours of chemotherapy and watch as your hair, fingernails and toenails fall out, feeling constantly sick, weak, nauseated and 95 instead of 25 years old – well, you focus on one moment at a time and you just keep breathing. So look, I don’t know how to climb the Himalayas to over 20,000 feet above sea level, but I know how to put one foot in front of the other and keep breathing. And I don’t know how to cure cancer, but I know how to ask 1 million people if they’ll pitch in $1 – and I won’t stop until the goal of cancer cure is realised.

1 million people raising 1 million dollars to help make cancer history – that’s a hell of a game - and I’m so grateful for your support and generosity in being a part of it.

Remission Possible: To Everest (Base Camp) and Beyond

The most recent letter from my treating oncologist began like so many others - it was the same familiar spiel that has by now been burned into my brain. It read:

"Amanda was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in October 2008 at age 25. She has since undergone a mastectomy and auxillary dissection, followed by 16 months of chemotherapy and herceptin treatment..."

I felt like I'd read the same information a hundred times before - between the numerous surgeons, oncologists, fertility specialists, GPs, geneticists, psychologists, emergency-room physicians and various other practitioners involved in my care, the details were always the same, only the handwriting and signature differed.

But as I continued reading, I quickly realised that this time the story was to have a very different ending. This time the letter went on to say:

"... Amanda has been treated for cure and is in remission."

"REMISSION" - I'd used the word myself during the many sleepless nights, while trying to reassure the gaunt, scarred, bald-headed girl staring back at me from the bathroom mirror. But never had such a statement been scrawled by my doctors' hand... until now.

And with that, I was back in the game - waved back onto the field from the sidelines - and let me assure you, I'm playing with everything I've got! My mission: to trek into Mt Everest Base Camp and then scale the icy slopes of Island Peak in order to kick-start an initiative to raise one million dollars for cancer research. Why? Because I made a promise to an extraordinary individual named Liam - and because I'm certain that diseases like cancer have no place in a world where anything is possible. Because I'm committed to showing fellow cancer patients that REMISSION truly is possible. And because I'm committed to one day telling my great-grandchildren about the disease that WAS cancer and how it came to be cured.

Who knows which research project will offer the breakthrough that leads to a cure? What I do know is that when human beings work together amazing things happen. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to trade $1 for a chance to help change the course of our history. $1 has the power to truly change the world!

One million people raising one million dollars to see the goal of cancer cure be realised... GAME ON!!