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Local man to climb Mt. Rainier |
Dan Burns hopes to raise awareness, funds for breast
cancer research |
By David Sale, Newberg Graphic
reporter
E-mail David at
dsale@eaglenewspapers.com
|
Among mountain climbers, “because it is there” has often been a
popular reason to climb, but Dan Burns has charity in mind.
Burns, a Newberg financial planner, plans to climb Washington
state’s Mount Rainier July 21-23 as a member of a team raising funds
for breast cancer research.
“It was a great cause, to go along with something I enjoy doing,”
Burns said. “My wife and I counted eight women in our immediate
circle of family, friends and co-workers that have endured the
affects of breast cancer. My wife Cindy’s mother had it when
she (Cindy) was a young girl, and she had to step up to the role of
head of the household as a result.”
The climb is organized by the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center
(www.fhcrc.org), a Seattle-based nonprofit founded by Dr. William
Hutchison in memory of his brother Fred, a Major League baseball
player and cancer victim.
Associated with the University of Washington School of Medicine,
the Hutchison Center conducts and funds a variety of research
programs into cancer prevention and treatment.
“This is the 10th year they’ve held this climb, and it’s raised
about $2 million to date,” Burns said. “A lot of their funding is
the first step for research programs that aren’t yet eligible for
federal support.”
As one of eight climbers on this year’s expedition together with
four professional guides, Burns will raise a minimum of $5,000 in
donations to the center.
“I’ve collected about $2,000 so far,” he said.
While Burns has 15 years’ experience in mountain climbing and has summited such other peaks as Hood, Adams, St. Helens and South
Sister, this climb will mark his first ascent of Mount Rainier.
“It’s a couple thousand feet higher in elevation,” he noted, “but
as long as the weather cooperates, we shouldn’t have any extra
worries. Rainier is a great training ground for teams climbing in
the Himalayas, due to the crevasses on the north face — but we’ll be
on the south face, where there are only a few. It’s not technically
challenging, but it’s strenuous.”
In advance of the Rainier ascent, Burns plans to go on several
hikes in the Cascade Mountains and make another ascent of Mount Hood
with friends to condition himself.
To contribute to his fund-raising campaign, visit the Fred
Hutchison Cancer Research Center’s donation page at www.fhcrc.org/about/ne/events/climb/
or contact Burns directly at burnsagency@att.net. |
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From
Feb. 3, 2007, Newberg Graphic
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