Glenn Tillbrook (from the Squeeze) was on the Geoff Lloyd show on Absolute Radio last night in London. He talked about the recent trip to Kilimanjaro and the Love Hope Strength Foundation. Check it out at: http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/djs_shows/shows/geoff/podcast.html?utm_source=left_nav
ESSEX — Two years ago, Kelly Carpenter spent her 29th birthday in the hospital receiving her sixth round of chemotherapy to treat stage three colon cancer.She turned 31 this month in Tanzania, days after climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The Essex native and nurse at Fletcher Allen Health Care scaled Africa’s tallest mountain with an international group of musicians and cancer survivors that climb mountains to raise money for cancer treatment.
“I’ve always hiked in the summer in Vermont,” Carpenter said. “The highest I’ve ever been was Mansfield, so I had no idea how my body would react to the altitude.”
Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s tallest mountain, rises 4,393 feet. Kilimanjaro, at 19,340 feet, is more than four times taller than Mansfield.
“I did OK,” Carpenter. “We all made it, which was pretty remarkable.”
Carpenter’s party of 25 people reached the summit Oct. 5. They brought with them prayer flags with the names of 6,000 cancer patients. The musicians in the group, including Nick Harper, Mike Peters of The Alarm and Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms played songs. Carpenter took pictures.
“Then we had to run down,” Carpenter said. “It was pretty miserable up there, actually.”
Peters, a cancer survivor, co-founded the Love, Hope, Strength Foundation in 2006. In 2007, Peters and other cancer survivors and musicians climbed Mount Everest — roughly the height of seven Mansfields.
Rather than funding cancer research, the organization raises money to buy medical equipment and supplies for cancer centers, as well as to spread awareness of the disease.
Carpenter’s trip lasted about three weeks. In addition to climbing a mountain, she went on a safari and saw zebras, lions and elephants. She returned to Vermont last week.
“It was awesome,” Carpenter said. “It was the experience of a lifetime, for sure.”
Doctors diagnosed Carpenter with colon cancer in May 2007, eight days after she graduated from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore. She had planned to pursue a career as a pediatric oncology nurse in San Francisco, but instead moved back to Vermont to be closer to friends and family.
Carpenter, who lives in Colchester, said her mother’s win against breast cancer in 2002 inspired her to become a nurse. While receiving treatment at Fletcher Allen, Carpenter worked part-time on the inpatient adult oncology floor.
“I don’t always share that I have cancer,” Carpenter said. “I can really empathize with what people are going through, so yeah, I get how miserable the experience can be.”
Carpenter said she has another colonoscopy scheduled for the near future, but is feeling fine.
“I’m really well,” Carpenter said.
On September 28th, 25 cancer survivors, legendary musicians (including Cy Curnin of The Fixx, Mike Peters of the Alarm, Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms, Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, Slim Jim Phantom of The Stray Cats, and Nick Harper), and supporters of the Love Hope Strength Foundation’s Kilimanjaro Rocks! Team, assembled at the gates to Mt Kilimanjaro. On October 5th, ALL of the 25 climbed to the summit of Uhuru (which means freedom in Swahili) – the peak of Mt Kilimanjaro – to raise money and awareness for cancer care in East Africa. We walked through the gates, some as friends, some as strangers, and on October 5th, we summited as kaka’s and dada’s (brothers and sisters in Swahili). It’s a journey that none of us will ever forget. Nor will we forget the bounds that we forged.
www.kilimanjarorocks.com
A concert on the roof of Africa. Writer Nick Heil is on assignment for BACKPACKER in Tanzania, where he’s climbing Kilimanjaro with the cancer-fighting Love Hope Strength Foundation. Keep checking back for updates on the climb, and to learn more about the expedition, visit kilimanjarorocks.com.
Oct. 5: Crater Camp and Mweka Camp
We’re back on the air! It’s been a tough 48 hours, and this is one pooped blogger. After back-to-back alpine starts (that’s 3:30 a.m., folks, in single-digit temps) we kicked, grunted, and clawed our way to the top. I have to confess, I am humbled. Kili is a very big mountain. Two days ago took us from Arrow Glacier Camp a whopping 2800 vertical feet through the Western Breach, where three American climbers were killed in a rock slide in 2006. Nearly half the team was blitzed with AMS that night, since we were all beat and trying to sleep at 18,500 feet.
That left a short ascent the next day, but since hardly anyone slept (given illness, cold, and our looming second early start) it wasn’t exactly a cake walk. Somewhat amazingly—I would have bet at least two team members weren’t going to make it—we put all 25 up on the clear, windy, bitter cold summit at 19,341 feet.
Spent most of the day stumbling 9,000 quad-filleting feet down to our last camp on the mountain, Mweka Camp. I was hoping it would be a pleasant sight, but it’s dusty and overcrowded and I’ll be pleased to get down to the town of Arusha tomorrow for my first shower in 8 days. I’ll send a post-mortem on the expedition as a whole tomorrow, but for now this newly-minted Kilimanjaro summitter is off for some desperately-needed sleep.
—Nick Heil
RHYL, Wales (Wireless Flash – FlashNews) – Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro takes lots of preparation – especially for rock stars. Just ask Mike Peters, frontman for The Alarm, and Gin Blossoms’ crooner Robin Wilson, who’ve started trekking up the mountain for a two-week expedition to promote cancer research for the Love Hope Strength Foundation.
Peters says living in a mountainous area of North Wales has helped him prepare for the climb, as has his rocking lifestyle.
He explains, “I jump around on stage. You have to have endurance to be able to do that.”
Wilson has also taken to doing plenty of climbing workouts and gave up his favorite vice to make sure he can hang with the other rock stars.
He says, “I stopped smoking pot about a month ago. I didn’t want to be the only one gasping because I do bongloads everyday.”
Wilson is looking forward to returning home so he can ride his skateboard and toke once more.
(Contact numbers available only to subscribing media or trial media users. You can request samples at the Wireless Flash web site.)
This is Kilimanjaro Rocks…The Love Hope Strength’s latest musical journey, to the roof of Africa. 25 legendary musicians (including members of The Alarm, The Fixx, The Gin Blossoms, Stray Cats, and Squeeze), cancer survivors and supporters have embarked upon a symbolic pilgrimage to Uhuru, the 19,341ft peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. We do so in order to bring love, hope and strength to the people of East Africa. Funds from “Kilimanjaro Rocks” will be used to support critical cancer care and awareness in East Africa. In a world where cancer is now the leading killer, our support is crucially needed in less fortunate regions that are lacking the most basic cancer vaccinations, screening and treatment.
Cancer kills more people that malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS combined and our mission it to open the eyes of the world to the needs in Africa, and beyond. One cancer in every country, one concert at a time.
Go to www.kilimanjarorocks.com to follow our team of 25 as they carry the names of 6,000 survivors, fighters and those we have lost to Uhuru (Swahili for Freedom), the peak of Kilimanjaro. Your donations and support are greatly needed and appreciated throughout our journey.
Writer Nick Heil reports from Kilimanjaro, where altitude sickness takes its toll at 14,000-plus feet. Writer Nick Heil is on assignment for BACKPACKER in Tanzania, where he’s climbing Kilimanjaro with the cancer-fighting Love Hope Strength Foundation. Keep checking back for updates on the climb, and to learn more about the expedition, visit kilimanjarorocks.com.
Oct 2: Camp 4, Sheffield Camp, 14,740 feet
After a rough night—we fell asleep to the sounds of vomiting, moaning, and various complaints of headaches and nausea—there were team-wide hosannas and hallelujahs that today was a relatively easy push up to the next camp. Lunch concluded with a Diamox Party, of which most of us partook.
Diamox (officially known as Acetamolozide, or Vitamin D, as some like to call it here in the tall mountains) is a potent drug that helps neutralize the symptoms of mountain sickness. In any case, most of the group seem to be doing better, including yours truly, who had a woozy day yesterday as well.
About half of us made an afternoon acclimatization hike up a nearby monolith called Lava Tower, a 200-vertical-foot freestanding monolith. It was a welcome diversion from our typical days of “pole-pole” (slowly slowly) hiking, since it involved some exposed rock scrambling.
“I haven’t done anything that dangerous since I drank a bottle of whiskey and drove two hours to Sydney,” said aussie Brien McVernon, one of our absurdly talented musicians who doesn’t have much experience with these kind of adventures.
We’re now parked at the base of the headwall up Kibo, the final 4,000-foot volcanic massif. It’ll take us two days to climb it. Can’t wait for our camp up top, at 18,000 feet. Gulp.
—Nick Heil
Oct 2, 2009 Today 25 legendary musicians (including Mike Peters of The Alarm, Cy Curnin of The Fixx, Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms, Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, Slim Jim Phantom of The Stray Cats, and Nick Harper), cancer survivors, and supporters from the Love Hope Strength Foundation aligned their symbolic trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro with Lance Armstrong’s, LIVESTRONG day. Each member of the team stood holding yellow prayer flags to add to the power of his global message.
From the “Kilimanjaro Rocks” Journal:
“We look each other in the eye now and revel in each other’s love of life. We’ve stepped out of the shadows of our distant routine lives and united for one simple cause. To spread the word that, LOVE HOPE STRENGTH is a force that will and has already has sent ripples around this mortal coil.”
Go to www.lovehopestrength.org/kili to check out daily pictures and video of our trekkers as they march to the top of Africa’s highest peak to support critical cancer care and awareness in East Africa.
Robin Wilson, lead singer of the Gin Blossoms, is on the show, live from Mr. Kilimanjaro. Danny has a soft spot for the band because they were the band that he and Gretchen saw on the first date, which lead to them getting married. Robin’s honored to hear that. Suddenly, the connect is lost, but Danny is willing to play the role of Robin so we can learn about The Love Hope Strength Foundation is at it again – bringing musicians to really neat location around the world with the goal of raising funds, support and awareness to fight cancer. Robin’s back, but only for a few seconds. Danny’s back to playing Robin, who is happy to know that his band has outlasted Danny’s marriage. ‘Robin’ sings an original song about fighting cancer from the tallest mountain in Africa.
(from Artistdirect.com) While one group of rock legends and cancer survivors are hiking Mt Kilimanjaro to fight cancer in East Africa in an event dubbed Kilimanjaro Rocks, the Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHS), a rock n’ roll charity that uses the power of music to fight cancer, will also be joining forces with Livestrong at Austin City Limits (ACL) to make a difference in the fight against cancer.
Every year 30,000 people in the U.S. alone are in search of a bone marrow donor match, yet only 3,000 are able to find one. In what amounts to a simple cheek swab, and completion of a registration form, ACL concert-goers can enter their name to the registry in under five minutes and help save a life. The registration process, which normally costs at least $65, will be free thanks to underwriting by DKMS Americas, one of the world’s largest bone marrow registries.
Love Hope Strength will be set up in the LIVESTRONG booth, located in the Good for Austin area at the east end of Rock island in Austin’s Zilker Park. The drive will kick off on the opening day of ACL – Friday, October 2, which is LIVESTRONG Day, a global day of action and awareness that engages people to join its unified movement to fight cancer thru more than 1,000 events around the world. The day also marks the 13th anniversary of LIVESTRONG founder and chairman, cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong’s own diagnosis with advanced testicular cancer.
LHS spent the summer of 2009 signing up more than 3,000 people to the registry at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and major music festivals around the country. Its efforts to date have resulted in 14 people finding matches, potentially saving as many lives.
“This is a powerful way to make a difference in the fight against cancer right now. We are offering people a chance to potentially save a life in what usually amounts to a half day’s effort,” said James Chippendale, co-founder of LHS, President of CSI Insurance and cancer survivor who is alive today because of finding his match through the international marrow registry. “We are excited to join forces with LIVESTRONG and DKMS to battle this disease and the stigmas associated with it here at ACL and we are optimistic that this crowd will help us all make a real tangible difference in one short weekend.”
For more information on LHS and how to get involved, visit: www.lovehopestrength.org.
http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/lhs-doing-free-bone-marrow-drive-at-austin-city-limits/078sa89f9Y7Rs
(from Artistdirect.com) While one group of rock legends and cancer survivors are hiking Mt Kilimanjaro to fight cancer in East Africa in an event dubbed Kilimanjaro Rocks, the Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHS), a rock n’ roll charity that uses the power of music to fight cancer, will also be joining forces with Livestrong at Austin City Limits (ACL) to make a difference in the fight against cancer.
Every year 30,000 people in the U.S. alone are in search of a bone marrow donor match, yet only 3,000 are able to find one. In what amounts to a simple cheek swab, and completion of a registration form, ACL concert-goers can enter their name to the registry in under five minutes and help save a life. The registration process, which normally costs at least $65, will be free thanks to underwriting by DKMS Americas, one of the world’s largest bone marrow registries.
Love Hope Strength will be set up in the LIVESTRONG booth, located in the Good for Austin area at the east end of Rock island in Austin’s Zilker Park. The drive will kick off on the opening day of ACL – Friday, October 2, which is LIVESTRONG Day, a global day of action and awareness that engages people to join its unified movement to fight cancer thru more than 1,000 events around the world. The day also marks the 13th anniversary of LIVESTRONG founder and chairman, cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong’s own diagnosis with advanced testicular cancer.
LHS spent the summer of 2009 signing up more than 3,000 people to the registry at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and major music festivals around the country. Its efforts to date have resulted in 14 people finding matches, potentially saving as many lives.
“This is a powerful way to make a difference in the fight against cancer right now. We are offering people a chance to potentially save a life in what usually amounts to a half day’s effort,” said James Chippendale, co-founder of LHS, President of CSI Insurance and cancer survivor who is alive today because of finding his match through the international marrow registry. “We are excited to join forces with LIVESTRONG and DKMS to battle this disease and the stigmas associated with it here at ACL and we are optimistic that this crowd will help us all make a real tangible difference in one short weekend.”
For more information on LHS and how to get involved, visit: www.lovehopestrength.org.
British musicians climb Kilimanjaro for Love Hope Strength September 27th – October 9th. British musicians Glenn Tilbrook, Mike Peters and Nick Harper will, this Sunday, start a journey that will see them climb Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.The trek is the latest in a series of “Rocks” events, organised by the Love Hope Strength Foundation, that combine music, travelling and trekking to raise money and provide resources of those affected by cancer.
Founded by James Chippendale along with Mike Peters of The Alarm and with the love, hope and strength from legends in rock n’ roll such as members of The Cult, B52s The Stray Cats, Gin Blossoms, Chuck Berry, The Fixx, Tokyo Police Club, Squeeze, Candlebox, Seether, Smithereens, Dick Dale, and acoustic genius Nick Harper, to high school bands, Nepalese folk singers and hundreds more, LHS has harnessed the power of music and the love, hope and strength of volunteers throughout the world to make a tangible difference in the fight against
cancer.
LHS made global headlines and built an international army of volunteers for their record-breaking hike and concert on Mt. Everest and musical trek to Machu Picchu, Peru. As with Everest Rocks, where LHS supporters bought Nepal its first mammography and internal radiation machines, and Peru Rocks, where funds raised lead to a mobile cancer care unit, LHS is dedicated to finding a practical and tangible use for monies raised that will help East Africans.
LHS has travelled the globe to remote venues such as the base camp of Mt. Everest, the top of the Empire State Building, the summit of Mt. Snowdon and the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, using the universal language of music to purchase life saving equipment, spread awareness, promote early detection, and register people to the international bone marrow database.
The trekkers’ daily journal can be viewed at the foundation’s website www.lovehopestrength.org
The Love Hope Strength Foundation is at it again – bringing musicians to really neat location around the world with the goal of raising funds, support and awareness to fight cancer. This time around, members of The Fixx, the Gin Blossoms, Squeeze and The Stray Cats, along with Nick Harper and founding member Mike Peters of The Alarm, are climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa.
Harper and Peters will be joined by The Fixx’s Cy Cumin, The Stray Cats’ Slim Jim Phantom, Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook and Gin Blossoms’ Robin Wilson, in addition to twenty cancer survivors and supporters.
Mt. Kilimanjaro is an inactive stratovolcano located in Kilimanjaro National Park in north-eastern Tanzania – and the highest peak in Africa at 19,341 feet.
The 12-day adventure begins Sept. 27 and concludes Oct. 9.
After hiking for seven days to the summit of Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak, the musicians will put on a symbolic acoustic performance. The group will also unveil 6,000 prayer flag, which bear the names of family and friends who have been touched by cancer.
Oct. 8 the LHS “Kilimanjaro Rocks” team will join the Maasai community for a traditional feast and celebration along with dancing and singing.
Each of the members of the “Kilimanjaro Rocks” team have devoted a year of their lives to train and raise funds for East African cancer care.
“Most people don’t realize that cancer is going to be the leading cause of death in the world by 2010,” said James Chippendale, Co-Founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation. “We are here to raise awareness and levels of cancer care in East Africa through the power of music and the global community tuning in online.”
Shannon Foley, LHS Executive Director, explained that the “Kilimanjaro Rocks” event will be especially emotional because one of the members of the team passed away from cancer before being able to join in on the adventure.
“Kevin Carlberg, a talented musician an extraordinary father and husband, spent the last year training and fundraising with his heart set on summiting Kilimanjaro with us to celebrate his triumph over brain cancer. Sadly, he lost his battle one month ago. We will do this climb in memory of Kevin and the countless others whom we have lost to this ever-growing disease,” Foley said.
Carlberg handled vocals and acoustic guitarist for the American rock band Pseudopod.
Love Hope Strength Foundation has previously put on LHS “Rocks” concerts in locations including Pikes Peak in Colorado, Mt. Everest in Nepal, Machu Picchu in Peru, Mt Snowdon in Whales and the roof of the Empire State Building in New York City.
For more information about the Love Hope Strength Foundation, please click here for the organization’s Web site.
Sep 25, 2009
Story by: Michael Tedder
Members of the Fixx, the Gin Blossoms, Squeeze and the Stray Cats will participate in Kilimanjaro Rocks, a 12-day concert/fundraiser/journey to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa. The event, which will take place from September 27 through October 9, was organized by the Love Hope Strength Foundation, co-founded by Mike Peters of the Alarm to raise awareness and funds for cancer care in East Africa.
Fans and supporters of the fight against cancer can watch the journey and send letters of support through LHS’ online journal. The journey wrap-up on October 8 with feast with the Maasai community and the unveiling of 6,000 prayer flags baring the names of family and friends who have been touched by cancer.
LHS has previously organized expeditions to Mt. Everest, Mt. Snowdon and Peru to raise fund, promote early detection and register people to the international bone marrow database.
www.lovehopestrength.org
(PR) The Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHS), an international rock n’ roll cancer foundation, today announced details for “Kilimanjaro Rocks”, a 12-day musical journey to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa taking place September 27th through October 9th.
Rock n’ Roll legends from The Fixx, The Gin Blossoms, Squeeze and The Stray Cats, will join Nick Harper, and LHS co-founders Mike Peters of The Alarm along with survivors and supporters in a challenging music-fueled trek through the Tanzanian wilderness devoted to providing care to a region in desperate need of cancer awareness and support.
“Kilimanjaro Rocks” will take participants through the breathtaking African landscape of Tanzania where they will embark from the forest edge of Kilimanjaro National Park with prayer flags in hand, music in their minds, and a determination to bring love, hope and strength to the people of East Africa. Hikers will complete the seven-day ascent to the 19,341-foot summit of Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak with a symbolic acoustic performance, and the unveiling of 6,000 prayer flags baring the names of family and friends who have been touched by cancer.
The journey will culminate on October 8th with a traditional feast and celebration with the Maasai community, featuring dancing, singing and rejoicing with the LHS “Kilimanjaro Rocks” team.
“Most people don’t realize that cancer is going to be the leading cause of death in the world by 2010,” said James Chippendale, Co-Founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation. “We are here to raise awareness and levels of cancer care in East Africa through the power of music and the global community tuning in online”.
As with Peru Rocks, when millions of people from around the globe watched footage from the day’s journey and participated via a dedicated website, the LHS foundation has established an interactive trekker journal for “Kilimanjaro Rocks” (http://www.lovehopestrength.org/kili) as a way for cancer supporters around the world to join in this historic effort. Family and friends can send letters and support messages through the website for the team to receive daily.
“Kilimanjaro Rocks” is the latest effort in a series of LHS “Rocks” events that combine music, inspiration and adventure to raise money and provide resources for those affected by cancer. Past events include concerts atop Pikes Peak in Colorado, Mt. Everest in Nepal, Machu Picchu in Peru, Mt Snowdon in Whales and the roof of the Empire State Building in New York City. LHS is also set to complete one of the largest bone marrow registration drives in history which took place all summer long at Red Rocks outdoor amphitheater in Colorado and brought together popular musicians from all over the world.
“We were wary when we announced this years “Rocks” event, the economy is struggling and fundraising has fallen short because of it. We were shocked when we filled up the trek in less than 24 hours. Each team member makes a financial and emotional commitment to raise money for people they have never met in countries most have only dreamt of going to”, said Shannon Foley, LHS Executive Director. “We get to know each other through emails and our bios that are on our site. It is amazing when we all arrive in a foreign land as complete strangers yet already have a connection, united through our experiences with cancer. The day I look forward to most is when we are finally united as a group, sitting in camp chairs around a fire under the African stars and for the first time tell each other why we are here, leaving our friends and family to journey up a mountain that seems insurmountable. Each of us has a story and a reason for devoting a year of our life to train and raise funds, much like the stories of the 6,000 names we carry on our flags. This year will be especially emotional as one of those seats will be empty. Kevin Carlberg, a talented musician and extraordinary father and husband, spent the last year training and fundraising with his heart set on summiting Kilimanjaro with us to celebrate his triumph over brain cancer. Sadly, he lost his battle one month ago. We will do this climb in memory of Kevin and the countless others whom we have lost to this ever-growing disease.”
For more information on LHS and how to get involved, visit:
www.lovehopestrength.org
(PR) The Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHS), an international rock n’ roll cancer foundation, today announced details for “Kilimanjaro Rocks”, a 12-day musical journey to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa taking place September 27th through October 9th.
Rock n’ Roll legends from The Fixx, The Gin Blossoms, Squeeze and The Stray Cats, will join Nick Harper, and LHS co-founders Mike Peters of The Alarm along with survivors and supporters in a challenging music-fueled trek through the Tanzanian wilderness devoted to providing care to a region in desperate need of cancer awareness and support.
“Kilimanjaro Rocks” will take participants through the breathtaking African landscape of Tanzania where they will embark from the forest edge of Kilimanjaro National Park with prayer flags in hand, music in their minds, and a determination to bring love, hope and strength to the people of East Africa. Hikers will complete the seven-day ascent to the 19,341-foot summit of Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak with a symbolic acoustic performance, and the unveiling of 6,000 prayer flags baring the names of family and friends who have been touched by cancer.
The journey will culminate on October 8th with a traditional feast and celebration with the Maasai community, featuring dancing, singing and rejoicing with the LHS “Kilimanjaro Rocks” team.
“Most people don’t realize that cancer is going to be the leading cause of death in the world by 2010,” said James Chippendale, Co-Founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation. “We are here to raise awareness and levels of cancer care in East Africa through the power of music and the global community tuning in online”.
As with Peru Rocks, when millions of people from around the globe watched footage from the day’s journey and participated via a dedicated website, the LHS foundation has established an interactive trekker journal for “Kilimanjaro Rocks” (http://www.lovehopestrength.org/kili) as a way for cancer supporters around the world to join in this historic effort. Family and friends can send letters and support messages through the website for the team to receive daily.
“Kilimanjaro Rocks” is the latest effort in a series of LHS “Rocks” events that combine music, inspiration and adventure to raise money and provide resources for those affected by cancer. Past events include concerts atop Pikes Peak in Colorado, Mt. Everest in Nepal, Machu Picchu in Peru, Mt Snowdon in Whales and the roof of the Empire State Building in New York City. LHS is also set to complete one of the largest bone marrow registration drives in history which took place all summer long at Red Rocks outdoor amphitheater in Colorado and brought together popular musicians from all over the world.
“We were wary when we announced this years “Rocks” event, the economy is struggling and fundraising has fallen short because of it. We were shocked when we filled up the trek in less than 24 hours. Each team member makes a financial and emotional commitment to raise money for people they have never met in countries most have only dreamt of going to”, said Shannon Foley, LHS Executive Director. “We get to know each other through emails and our bios that are on our site. It is amazing when we all arrive in a foreign land as complete strangers yet already have a connection, united through our experiences with cancer. The day I look forward to most is when we are finally united as a group, sitting in camp chairs around a fire under the African stars and for the first time tell each other why we are here, leaving our friends and family to journey up a mountain that seems insurmountable. Each of us has a story and a reason for devoting a year of our life to train and raise funds, much like the stories of the 6,000 names we carry on our flags. This year will be especially emotional as one of those seats will be empty. Kevin Carlberg, a talented musician and extraordinary father and husband, spent the last year training and fundraising with his heart set on summiting Kilimanjaro with us to celebrate his triumph over brain cancer. Sadly, he lost his battle one month ago. We will do this climb in memory of Kevin and the countless others whom we have lost to this ever-growing disease.”
For more information on LHS and how to get involved, visit:
www.lovehopestrength.org
Sep 25, 2009
Story by: Michael Tedder
Members of the Fixx, the Gin Blossoms, Squeeze and the Stray Cats will participate in Kilimanjaro Rocks, a 12-day concert/fundraiser/journey to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa. The event, which will take place from September 27 through October 9, was organized by the Love Hope Strength Foundation, co-founded by Mike Peters of the Alarm to raise awareness and funds for cancer care in East Africa.
Fans and supporters of the fight against cancer can watch the journey and send letters of support through LHS’ online journal. The journey wrap-up on October 8 with feast with the Maasai community and the unveiling of 6,000 prayer flags baring the names of family and friends who have been touched by cancer.
LHS has previously organized expeditions to Mt. Everest, Mt. Snowdon and Peru to raise fund, promote early detection and register people to the international bone marrow database.
www.lovehopestrength.org
The Love Hope Strength Foundation is at it again – bringing musicians to really neat location around the world with the goal of raising funds, support and awareness to fight cancer. This time around, members of The Fixx, the Gin Blossoms, Squeeze and The Stray Cats, along with Nick Harper and founding member Mike Peters of The Alarm, are climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa.
Harper and Peters will be joined by The Fixx’s Cy Cumin, The Stray Cats’ Slim Jim Phantom, Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook and Gin Blossoms’ Robin Wilson, in addition to twenty cancer survivors and supporters.
Mt. Kilimanjaro is an inactive stratovolcano located in Kilimanjaro National Park in north-eastern Tanzania – and the highest peak in Africa at 19,341 feet.
The 12-day adventure begins Sept. 27 and concludes Oct. 9.
After hiking for seven days to the summit of Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak, the musicians will put on a symbolic acoustic performance. The group will also unveil 6,000 prayer flag, which bear the names of family and friends who have been touched by cancer.
Oct. 8 the LHS “Kilimanjaro Rocks” team will join the Maasai community for a traditional feast and celebration along with dancing and singing.
Each of the members of the “Kilimanjaro Rocks” team have devoted a year of their lives to train and raise funds for East African cancer care.
“Most people don’t realize that cancer is going to be the leading cause of death in the world by 2010,” said James Chippendale, Co-Founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation. “We are here to raise awareness and levels of cancer care in East Africa through the power of music and the global community tuning in online.”
Shannon Foley, LHS Executive Director, explained that the “Kilimanjaro Rocks” event will be especially emotional because one of the members of the team passed away from cancer before being able to join in on the adventure.
“Kevin Carlberg, a talented musician an extraordinary father and husband, spent the last year training and fundraising with his heart set on summiting Kilimanjaro with us to celebrate his triumph over brain cancer. Sadly, he lost his battle one month ago. We will do this climb in memory of Kevin and the countless others whom we have lost to this ever-growing disease,” Foley said.
Carlberg handled vocals and acoustic guitarist for the American rock band Pseudopod.
Love Hope Strength Foundation has previously put on LHS “Rocks” concerts in locations including Pikes Peak in Colorado, Mt. Everest in Nepal, Machu Picchu in Peru, Mt Snowdon in Whales and the roof of the Empire State Building in New York City.
For more information about the Love Hope Strength Foundation, please click here for the organization’s Web site.