Climb Against the Odds
 The
Climbing Team
As with breast cancer, teamwork
and a strong support system are critical to survival in
the treacherous conditions of Mt. McKinley. Five of the
women who prepared for the climb were breast cancer survivors,
only one with any significant climbing experience. Seven
young, healthy women, five from Princeton University, joined
the expedition to raise awareness of the threat to young
women.
Nancy Knoble - Tiburon,
CA
A retired executive for Pacific Telesis, a business consultant
and the team leader, Nancy successfully reached the 23,000
foot summit of Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina in 1995, just
one year after her diagnosis of breast cancer and subsequent
treatment. Then, one year before McKinley, Nancy was diagnosed
with a recurrence of her breast cancer. She underwent a
double mastectomy and continued training for the expedition
- mountaineering, backpacking, biking and skiing.
Sandy Badillo - Half Moon Bay, CA
Tennis director for Park and Recreations Programs, USPTA
Tennis Pro and water aerobics instructor, Sandy is a mother
of three, and grandmother of five. She was diagnosed with
invasive breast cancer in 1993. Sandy underwent double mastectomy
and reconstruction and remains on Tamoxifen, an oral chemotherapy.
She is committed to raising awareness and gathering support
to fight this deadly disease.
Mary Ann Castimore - Augusta,
NJ
Mary Ann lives on a farm with her husband John, where she
raises Christmas trees, angora goats for mohair, hay and
asparagus. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1986
and had a modified radical mastectomy. In 1995 she experienced
chest pain and was diagnosed with inoperable and incurable
metastatic breast cancer that fractured her sternum. Mary
Ann climbs to raise hope for women with metastatic cancer.
Iris Lancaster - Cement
City, MI
Teacher consultant to learning disabled and emotionally
impaired children, Iris and her life partner Diane continually
strive to have the serenity of nature in their daily lives.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and had a mastectomy
and reconstruction without any adjuvant therapy. Iris also
has her private pilot certificate and enjoys skydiving as
well as climbing and backpacking.
 Marcy
Ely Wilson - Napa, CA: 1948 - 1999
Marcy Ely Wilson was a therapist and teacher, mother of
two grown sons and newly wed to her long time companion
Charlie. Marcy celebrated the five-year anniversary of her
first breast cancer diagnosis and treatment by running a
marathon in 1996. One year later, Marcy was diagnosed with
metastatic breast cancer. Another course of chemotherapy,
radiation and stem cell transplant didn't stop her from
training for Mt. McKinley.
Yet another set back came just
one month before the Climb: the cancer had spread to her
brain, liver and lymph nodes. She was determined to join
her teammates in Alaska, see them off and come back home
to fight her cancer one more time and she did… Marcy made
it to her favorite day of the year, the first day of Spring,
1999. Marcy always said, " McKinley's a walk in the park.
Cancer is the BIG Mountain!"
Climb Against the Odds
is dedicated to Marcy.
The young women
Majka Burnhardt - Minneapolis,
MN
A senior at Princeton, she is a guide with the American
Alpine Institute and is trained as an Emergency Medical
Technician (EMT), Majka has also worked for Outward Bound.
She began her exploration of the outdoors canoeing in northern
Minnesota and the Canadian Arctic. Prior to her final year
at Princeton, she pursued an intensive year of mountaineering
in the Western U.S., Ecuador and Nepal. She has currently
resumed her studies in anthropology examining expeditions
and cultures created within their teams.
Bethany Coates - Montpelier,
VT
A 1998 graduate of Princeton, in history and women's studies,
Bethany is an Outdoor Action leader who has participated
in countless backpacking trips throughout the eastern U.S.
She is a trained EMT who enjoys rock climbing, hiking, running
and tennis. Bethany is currently studying history and culture
in South Africa. She plans to return to the U. S. in November
1999 and pursue work in third world development research.
Naomi Darling - Sapporo,
Japan
A 1996 graduate of Princeton in Civil Engineering and Architectural
Design, she is an avid traveler and adventurer, due in part
from growing up on three continents. She has extensive back-country
experience in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Maine
and New York as well as climbing in Japan and Chile. Naomi
is currently studying art and science in Melbourne, Australia.
Katie Gamble - Gibson Island,
MD
A 1998 graduate of Princeton in Biology, she was a goalie
on the Varsity Women's Lacrosse Team, an Outdoor Action
Leader, N.O.L.S. Graduate and sailing instructor. She is
currently teaching biology and coaching soccer, ice hockey
and lacrosse at the Holderness School in Plymouth, NH. Katie
plans to attend medical school upon completion of her pre-medical
courses and with Naomi Darling is writing a book about their
experience on McKinley.
Michele Potkin - Anchorage
AK
A plant ecologist/botanist for over 15 years in the remote
wilderness areas throughout Alaska, Michele is presently
a student at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing in Long
Island. Her love of climbing has taken her from Yosemite,
to the Grand Tetons, to Nevado Juncal (20,000) and Mt. Aconcagua
(22,700) in South America. Michele is dedicated to the vision
of eradicating breast cancer for future generations of women.
Meg Smith - Evansville,
IN
A 1998 graduate of Princeton in Geology, Meg was a N.O.L.S.
graduate, an Outdoor Action Leader and a member of the Princeton
Women's Sailing Team. As both her mother and grandmother
are breast cancer survivors, Meg is fighting against her
own odds of getting the disease. She taught in Santa Fe,
New Mexico for the past year and is currently on a summer
walkabout in Alaska.
Cathy Ann Taylor - Sausalito,
CA
An avid mountaineer and guide for Mountain Travel* Sobek,
she has climbed and guided in Nepal and Tibet for the past
eight years. Cathy has worked as an instructor in a San
Francisco Breast Health Center, training women on self-exam
and breast cancer awareness. Her interest in breast cancer
came after her grandmother and a good friend were both diagnosed
with the disease. Currently, she is putting together a Himalayan
expedition in Nepal to climb Ama Dablam in December 1999
and guiding on Aconcagua in January 2000.
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