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Großglockner climb and Rainbow Tour 2009
Last update on: 22/09/2009
The events that take place with former childhood cancer patients within the framework of “Overcoming Cancer with Research ”, the Großglockner climb in Austria and the Rainbow Cycle Tour in Germany, are intended to publically corroborate the extraordinary physical and mental strength and determination of young cancer survivors. An additional goal: To give courage to children and young people suffering from cancer and to communicate the positive message that there is quality of life and an active life after cancer.
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Personal summiting of former childhood cancer patients (survivors)
For themselves an unbelievable achievement – for young patients with cancer a strong, courage-provoking signal
On the 6th September, the march to the summit starts in Austria: Participants on the tour are teenagers and young adults between the ages of 16 and 37 who were ill with cancer as children and young people and who have since been pronounced well again, as well as workers at the St. Anna children’s hospital, St. Anna childhood cancer research and the Otto Pammer film team.
A number of mountain guides will accompany the group on the six-day alpine mountain hike, which demands a head for heights, good basic physical condition and fitness.
The tour will start off from Lucknerhaus near Kals in east Tyrol. It continues on to the Salmhütte, where the young people will take part in a surefootedness course on the rocks and glacier with crampons and receive instructions on the use of a climbing harness and rope. Finally, the group will climb via the Adlersruhe to the long-awaited peak, 3,798 metres above sea level. An unforgettable experience for every participant.
On the way back there will be a visit to the children’s cancer ward in Graz. Who else, if not the summiteers themselves, could truly inspire the young patients to have courage and prove to them that there really is an active life after cancer.
Symbolism of summiting
There are many parallels between climbing a mountain, the highly individual path to healing and the clear increase in treatment success rates thanks to the rapid development of childhood cancer research
The team of doctors, nurses and psychologists at the hospital and the motivation provided by families accompany the young patient with cancer as they take the path towards overcoming their illness; one that is often strewn with protracted and strenuous treatment.
The rope team on the mountain also binds, offers security and is the professional guidance through which to avoid danger and obstacles.
In 6 days the young mountaineers, who are all bound by a shared fate and a mutually unique stamina, prove to the "entire world" and above all to themselves, that they have achieved something truly unique. They are in no way inferior to their peers. In fact their positive attitude to life is sometimes considerably greater.
To each his own Everest – an initiative in France
“A Chacun son Everest!” is an association founded in 1994 by the alpinist and doctor Christine Janin. With the summiting of a peak, the Mont Blanc, the association is pulling out all the stops in order to support children and young people with cancer as well as young cancer survivors in “integrating back into life”. The aim is to enable them to trust their bodies once again, and at the same time to allow them to speak amongst themselves about their illnesses and their strenuous treatments, to learn how to enjoy their rediscovered freedom and joy of life, and also to change the way that friends, families, doctors and nurses and society as a whole view them by climbing the mountain.
Strengthened by the motivation of the mountain climb and the rope team, the children and young people will spend seven days in Chamonix where they will have time to reach their own personal “Everest”. Seven days in which to prove to the whole world and above all to themselves just how strong their bodies and minds are.
Rainbow Tour 2009
Background history
Healing is more than overcoming the cancer
The Survivors Großglockner Tour 2009 has its roots in a joint project between the St. Anna children’s hospital and the childhood cancer aid parent's initiative. Back in 2006, a group of former childhood cancer patients climbed the Großglockner. In Austria and Germany around 2,500 children and young people up to 18 years of age are diagnosed with cancer (solid tumours or leukaemia) every year. Today, more than 80% of these are treated successfully. However, treatment does not simply mean the end of intensive medical therapy. It also means that the recovered child or young person is once again able to lead an unimpaired life, if possible without any long-term disadvantages, integrated into their social environment and with the same chances, rights and opportunities as their peers. After protracted and arduous treatment, the children and young people wish to return quickly to their schools, training and careers with the diagnosis "survived cancer". They wish to become active, integrated and above all accepted by society. More details
Doubts in society regarding survivors of childhood cancer
Our society continues to have reservations about the so-called survivors of cancer, with respect to their physical and psychological capabilities as well as their strength. Problems, when seeking jobs for example, are thus not uncommon amongst young survivors who wish to assert themselves as “normal” amongst their peers in the evaluation process.
The Großglockner Tour in Austria and the Rainbow Tour in Germany should help to send a signal to the public through which to invalidate existing imbalances.
