How far can I take this?

While I certainly wish that I had never had Breast Cancer, I have to say that it is because I did that I am now blessed with an amazing opportunity. All through treatment and recovery I have been determined to help myself cope and recover to the best of my ability. For the next 3 months I am going to be pushing to see just how far I can take my recovery. My goal is to trek to Mt Everest Base Camp in April/May (it will be my 2 year anniversary since diagnosis on this trek) as part of a Queensland Cancer Council Charity Challenge. If someone had told me 2 years ago that I would be trying to do this I honestly would have just laughed. But since then I have been through a diagnosis and treatment for Breast Cancer and I have learnt that anything is possible if you just keep an open mind and take it one step at a time. I want to do this to regain the confidence in my body and my ability to do what I set my mind to do. I don't want to let the fear of recurrence limit the rest of my life. Already with just a couple of weeks of early training under my belt I am feeling an amazing strength emerging and it feels SO GOOD to have my body respond positively to the extra demands I have put on it. I can only imagine the feelings if I make it all the way to Base Camp. I want to do this because cancer is something I REALLY, REALLY want to do something about. I have met so many lovely people (many of them on here) who are facing challenges far greater than trekking to Base Camp because of this awful disease. How impossibly difficult it must be to have a child face this disease. As we all know this disease can make you feel helpless, as though you have no control. I want to feel that I can have some control. That I can help to raise awareness and money to help someone else. The Cancer Council works to educate people and prevent cancer where possible, help those who are diagnosed and also funds research into finding better ways of preventing, treating and curing cancer. This is my way of helping out and working towards a cure for more people. I have a long way to go but I'm going to give it my best try. There are some unknowns along the way but I just have to keep an open mind and take it one step at a time. You don't know till you try and I have some absolutely amazing people helping me try this. If I achieve this it will because of another thing having cancer has taught me - we need to let others help us. Oh, by the way, I have one of the very best people helping me. Her name is Sharon Cohrs. Sharon was diagnosed with BC at 36. She had a double mastectomy, axillary clearance, chemo and reconstruction. 9 months after finishing chemo, 3 months after recon, she returned to climbing mountains. 4 years later she became the first breast cancer survivor to reach the summit of Mt Everest If she can do that I should be able to get myself to the base of Mt Everest! Sharon and her fantastic husband Allan will be by my side as I put one foot in front of the other to see how far I can push myself! Keep an open mind about recovery, anything is possible! Deanne xxx