Friday 9 March 2018

Everybody Has a Mountain to Climb

It's a remarkable thing when one's passions intertwine in synergistic harmony...

Some of you may know that in my “free time”, I love to hike and even summit the occasional mountain. For me, hiking is a kind of moving meditation, an often solitary excursion that affords me the time to reflect and decompress. 

Summiting a mountain is an extremely humbling experience. It allows me to push my limits, both physically and mentally. The ability to persevere in challenging circumstances serves me well in other areas of my life as well. I have experienced the triumph of pushing past pain and discomfort, of taking just one more step when it seems impossible. I use this analogy when I'm speaking to students who are struggling with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. I strive to help them to see their potential, their infinite possibilities. I try to help them to "climb their mountain" and experience that same triumphant feeling of success and accomplishment. 

In my role, sadly I see many children and families who are navigating incredible challenges. The stress and heartache of having a child who is sick and in need of hospitalization can be debilitating for families. As a vice-principal, I have often wished that I could do more to provide support to these families. 

And so, when the opportunity presented itself to combine two of my passions- hiking and helping children, I jumped at it. 

In August, 2018 I will be leaving on an expedition with an amazing group of people from an organization called Summits of Hope. Our team will be travelling to Peru, reaching altitudes of 4200 metres on our climb to Machu Picchu. Although the climb itself will be incredible, it’s even more special in that our goal is to raise money for children at BC Children’s Hospital.

I will be climbing over four days, ascending with a team of thirteen other team members. The funds that we raise will support cancer research, patient care, education, and advocacy for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the Summits of Hope Endowment fund. 

As a member of the Summits of Hope team, I have committed to raising $5000. The prospect of that is somehow more daunting than the climb itself, but I plan to approach it as I do most things in my life- with faith, hope and a great deal of stubborn determination. And like most things in my life, I won't be able to do it on my own. I will need the help and support of friends, family and my team members. 

I hope that you will follow me on this journey. I know that it will not be an easy one- neither the fundraising nor the climb itself. But I also know that there are children whose "mountains" are so much more difficult to climb. In the end, all we can do is put one foot in front of the other, with faith, hope and a great deal of stubborn determination...

Please click on the link to my climber profile page if you would like to donate:
http://www.summitsofhope.com/climberProfile/sarah_garr




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