| Not a Man to Fold |
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Everest climber beats back cancer. By Meghan J. Ward
Hobson knows something about setbacks. He was a member of two expeditions to Everest before finally summiting in 1997 on his third trip. All were non-guided, self-organized and corporately sponsored efforts requiring $250,000 to $500,000 in fundraising. After the first two attempts, Hobson said his team returned home to hear reports they had failed. “We may have failed to make it to the top, but we didn’t fail to learn from our experiences. ” he said. “It’s OK to fail. It’s not OK to fold.” Diagnosed with an aggressive blood cancer in 2000, Hobson said climbing back from cancer was 10 times harder than climbing Everest. It took him five years, a story he weaves into his speaking presentations, website, books and work with other cancer survivors. But, he is quick to add, “We can never conquer cancer, only hope to survive it.” “To me, every day is not only a gift, it’s a bonus,” he said. His life of adventure is no longer about going higher, faster or longer. “Life isn’t about height, it’s about depth. Success is our ability to positively affect the lives of others. To that end, Hobson has helped to create The Climb Back from Cancer Program of mild cardiovascular activity to help survivors overcome chronic fatigue. Details of the program are at www.climbback.com. Hobson now enjoys hiking, biking, swimming and scrambling. “I haven’t tied into a rope in about 10 years,” he said. “But, I don’t need to hang off the end of a rope to know what it means to be alive.” September/October 2011 |
He may have climbed to the top of Mount Everest, run two marathons and hang-glided over the Rockies, but the greatest challenge Alan Hobson has faced was beating the 85 per cent chance that cancer would take his life. Now 53, this three-time IMPACT cover-man is proud to say that 10 years after his diagnosis he has made a 100 per cent recovery and beat cancer. Hobson, of Canmore, Alta., makes his living as a speaker, author and adventurer. Fortune 500 companies, and a plethora of other large organizations, call on him to inspire them to thrive during turbulent times. 