Deep in the Hollow: James Chippendale

Using his entertainment industry contacts, he and 35 musicians, mountaineers, artists, cancer survivors, and foundation supporters departed from Kathmandu for a 14-day trek to base camp of Mount Everest for an acoustic “extreme concert” called Everest Rocks. The foundation has raised more than $700,000 since it was founding in 2006.

— Austin Kilgore

Courtesy photo: John Rees James Chippendale, a cancer survivor, wants everyone to receive the same quality of treatment he did.

What inspired you to found the Love Hope Strength Foundation? Mike Peters of the band The Alarm and I, who was also treated for cancer, began to discuss and ponder why we were so fortunate to have had access to the world’s best doctors, treatments, and medications. We realized that it was unfair that we had access because of our various connections, our health insurance, and money. We felt the injustice that millions of people around the world, including here in the U.S., don’t have access to the most basic cancer treatment and will die of cancers that are treatable and curable. Mike and I decided to make it possible for the most disadvantaged to have access to the treatments, doctors, and medications that were available to us.

What is the purpose of the extreme concerts, and how do they promote the goals of the foundation? The high places came from our desire to show the world that with access to the best doctors, treatments, and medications, you too can “climb back from cancer.” The music and concerts were a natural part of the process because of Mike’s and my involvement in the music industry; we realize the power of music to inspire and motivate.

Can you describe your experience at Everest Rocks? The Everest concert was bittersweet as many of the team members who worked so hard to be there got very sick and were unable to make the final push to the concert. It was very emotional on different levels: my personal journey from start to concert finale, the final sense of accomplishment of actually making it, as well as the loss of other team members who could not physically make the final climb.

To have the artist’s support validated that what we were doing was a worthwhile endeavor and that we could gather the necessary support. It also inspired and motivated us to do it in a big way.

How has the Dallas community been involved with your efforts? Dallas has been overwhelmingly supportive. Dallas residents, fellow cancer survivors, and others have come together to raise a great deal of money and sign on to be trekkers. In Dallas alone, supporters have raised in excess of $150,000. In addition, this year we are working on a rock ’n’ roll charity golf classic in Dallas hosted by pro golfer and Dallas resident Tommy Armour. The Dallas community has been enormously supportive, and we look forward to having many more events in Dallas.

What is your ultimate goal with the foundation? Our goal is to have one Love Hope Strength-supported cancer center in every country in the world so that all people have the best treatments and the best chance at survival. Each center will have an equipment supply network to refurbish used and unwanted medical equipment and supplies for use in the centers, a global training network to help doctors and nurses receive quality training on the most current methods, and medication supply programs to work with the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies to provide free or discounted drugs to our supported hospitals.

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