I've been busy working on the 5,221 images I created during the Everest Rocks! trek to Everest Basecamp last month. It was a remarkable trip with some great people...and we succeeded in raising not only huge awareness of the issues facing cancer patients in Nepal, but also nearly $500,000 to turn the Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital into a world-class cancer treatment center!
Some people may wonder why it is important to change this hospital when there is high-quality cancer care available over the Nepali border in India and a few hours away in Thailand?
The reason is simple: Currently in Nepal, wealthy cancer patients head overseas for their treatment - or at least to India - because high quality cancer care is unavailable in Nepal. With them goes their money, and the level of treatment in Nepal - a chronically poor and underdeveloped nation - remains low.
By turning the Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital into a world-class cancer care center, these same wealthy and middle-class Nepalis can be convinced to get their treatment in Nepal. Their money will stay there, and the payment they make can be used to help subsidize treatment for low income Nepalis who would - simply put - die of their disease otherwise.
Through the passion and vision of Love Hope Strength Foundation founders Mike Peters and James Chippendale, and the efforts of dedicated doctors like Dr. Bharal, a difference is being made in Nepal that can hopefully be replicated many times throughout the world through future efforts.
As the Tibetan proverb says: Don't take lightly small good deeds thinking they can hardly help. For drops of water, one by one, in time will fill a giant pond.
We all can make a difference...if we just try.
The following is a video I put together of some of the select images from the Everest Rocks! trek. Enjoy, and be sure to visit www.everestrocks.com for more information and to help...today! (NOTE: You can also view this video on YouTube, or, alternately, see the much-better, high-resolution version on the PhotoDex website. You'll have to download and install a small control, but it's worth it!)
- Jake Norton is an Everest climber, guide, photographer, writer, and motivational speaker from Colorado.
