ICE CLIMBING NEWS ITEM

Center Announces Unique Climbing Expedition

FRIDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2007

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center today announced the launch of a unique expedition to an unclimbed mountain in the name of cancer research. Never before has a cancer-research center mounted such an expedition.

The inaugural Climb to Conquer Cancer, performed by a team of four professional mountaineers, will take place next June in Alaska. The specific location of the mountain, chosen by the Climb's Mountaineering Advisory Committee, will be announced this winter.

The Center has carefully selected a team of four professional mountaineers who will use all their knowledge and skills to achieve this goal. The expedition team -- consisting of Matt Farmer, Dawn Glanc, Kevin Mahoney and Bayard Russell Jr. -- is a group of talented and goal-oriented mountaineers who reflect the bold, innovative nature of the researchers at the Hutchinson Center.

"The scaling of an unclimbed mountain is a good metaphor for cancer research -- the challenges are unknown until you are in the middle of it and no one wants to turn back," said Lee Hartwell, Ph.D., president and director of the Hutchinson Center. "Through the efforts of these four mountaineers, we hope to build awareness for the critical need to support cancer research."

"As stewards of our parks, the National Park Service makes it possible for us to have this adventure because of the care that is taken to preserve our wild places," said Jim Ireland, chief of Visitor Services at Kenai Fjords National Park.

A group of renowned mountaineers, expedition leaders and adventurers comprise The Climb's Mountaineering Advisory Committee: Phil and Susan Ershler, the first couple to climb the world's "Seven Summits;" John Harlin, a noted climber and editor of American Alpine Journal; Eric Simonson, leader of the historic Mount Everest expedition that found the body of George Leigh Mallory; John Roskelley, author and revered American Himalayan climber; and Jim Wickwire, a climbing legend and Alaska mountaineering expert who was the first American to climb K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth.

The public will be able to follow the mountaineers during the planning stages and then through the expedition itself on The Climb to Conquer Web site: www.fhcrc.org.

Source:www.prnewswire.com

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