TL;DR
In February 2026, I’ll join a team of biotech leaders on the Timmerman Traverse—a summit attempt of Mount Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft / 5,895 m)—to raise critical funding for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. As a team, we’re aiming for $1,000,000 to back bold, early-career researchers; my personal goal is $100,000.
Why this is personal to me
Early in my career, a few people took a bet on me. That belief—before the outcomes were obvious—helped me launch something big and enduring, and it’s why I’ve mentored many young biotech CEOs and funded scholarships to widen the path for others. I still remember how steep the hill looks from the bottom; the right backers change the grade. Damon Runyon does exactly that for scientists—world-class support at the moment it matters most.
The mountain (and why I like hard things)
I recently climbed Chimborazo—my first big mountain—and it reminded me why I love endurance challenges: not the adrenaline, but the quiet discipline of sustained focus. Over the years I’ve gravitated to long-haul efforts (Ironmans, LOTOJA, the Leadville 100 MTB, endurance car racing), where you pace, plan, and keep showing up. Kilimanjaro will be another deliberate, step-by-step effort—just like great science. Your support turns that effort into momentum for researchers who are pushing toward new diagnostics and therapies.
Where your gift goes
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High-risk, high-reward ideas from early-career scientists, funded when traditional grants often won’t.
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A proven multiplier—Damon Runyon alumni include field-shaping leaders and prize-winning scientists.
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Near-term impact—support that helps researchers generate the data they need to unlock larger grants.
Suggested giving levels (examples)
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$100–$250: Essential research expenses so fellows can move faster.
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$1,000+: Catalyzes pilot experiments and analysis that de-risk bigger steps.
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$5,000+: Meaningfully advances an early-career project on the path to publication or translation.
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$50,000 (Sponsor a Summit): Roughly eight months of support for a Damon Runyon Fellow—an extraordinary accelerant.
Call to action
If cancer has touched your life—or if you believe that backing brilliant people early changes what’s possible—please donate and share this page. Thank you for helping push science (and all of us) up the mountain.
— Chris Gibson
(Co-founder & CEO, Recursion)