Climbing Kilimanjaro for Ovarian Cancer

From Valley to Mountaintop in Search of Hope

Ovarian Cancer Survivor Climbs Kilimanjaro to Educate

Port Moody - January 22, 2013- From Hanmer to New Zealand, Tracy Pepper is educating women about the risk and prevention of Ovarian Cancer with a climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro this September with Ovarian Cancer Canada's Expedition of Hope.

Pepper, who now lives in Mount Maunganui New Zealand, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer in 1985 at the age of 10 (at the time was the 20th diagnosed case of the disease with no survivors), and through remarkable odds-survived. Pepper now plans on climbing the highest mountain in Africa this September in support of multiple charities who work to educate, and support women diagnosed with the disease.

Ovarian cancer is the 4th biggest killer of New Zealand women - with one women dying every 48 hours from ovarian cancer. There are approximately 310 new cases per year, and 175 deaths (rising to 188 by 2010). 85% of ovarian cancer cases occur in women aged 45 and over. There is no screening process to detect Ovarian Cancer, but when found early and treated, the survival rate is 90 percent.

Pepper is looking for support and sponsorship for her goal of raising enough money to produce a documentary of her journey and this climb for survivors like herself, and for the memory of son many lost to Ovarian Cancer.

Ovarian Cancer is extremely difficult to detect, and with no reliable course of detection, education is the strongest tool for awareness.

This story is one of hope. Please help share it so that together we can make this dream possible and bring awareness worldwide. You can follow Tracey's journey on Facebook and share it on your facebook page. We have 6 months to make this dream possible.

Thank you.