An Update on My Kilimanjaro Climb
Kilimanjaro remains a powerful symbol for me: of resilience, faith, and what becomes possible when we move together toward something bigger than ourselves.
I want to share a personal update with transparency and gratitude. Due to ongoing health issues short-term, and on the advice of my medical team and loved ones, I have made the difficult but responsible decision to postpone my Kilimanjaro climb.
This decision was not made lightly. As many of you know, this climb is deeply personal. My own health journey is part of what drew me to Timmerman Traverse and to raising funds for cancer research in the first place. Living inside uncertainty - waiting, adjusting, listening to your body - has only deepened my empathy for patients and families navigating far greater challenges every day.
While the timing of the climb has shifted, the purpose has not.
I remain fully committed to supporting the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the scientists whose work brings hope where it is needed most. The funds raised continue to directly support breakthrough cancer research, and I will return to this climb when my health allows: stronger, prepared, and carrying your support with me.
This pause is not a setback; it is part of the journey. Mountains teach us that progress is not always linear, and that wisdom sometimes means knowing when to rest, regroup, and rise again.
Thank you for your trust, your generosity, and your belief in cures worth fighting for. I am deeply grateful to walk this path with you.
Onward, together.
With gratitude,
Kate
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“Kilimanjaro is a snow-covered mountain 19,710 feet high, and is said to be the highest mountain in Africa. Its western summit is called the Masai ‘Ngàje Ngài,’ the House of God.”
— Ernest Hemingway, The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1936)
I am climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro for those we’ve lost, for those fighting for their health right now, and for the loved ones who stand by their side. This journey is not mine alone. I am carrying my family, my friends, and my community with me every step of the way. Together we can accomplish anything: on a mountain, in a boardroom, in a lab, and at a patient’s bedside.
As a biotech executive, my passion is activating solutions that get medicines to patients faster. I’ve joined the Timmerman Traverse because I want to do more.
This climb is deeply personal. I’ve faced my own health challenges, and they’ve taught me how precious and short life truly is: life is made of peaks and valleys that demand resilience, courage, and hope. I can't imagine a better 44th birthday gift to myself than taking on this once-in-a-lifetime challenge.
Kilimanjaro is more than a mountain; it is a symbol of what we can overcome when we move as one.
I climb because cures are worth fighting for.
I climb because no one fights alone.
I climb because together, we rise.
Let’s do this. #KateClimbsKili Instagram: KateClimbsKili