Wednesday 23 January 2002
An international expedition including four intrepid Londoners are jetting off to Argentina on Wednesday 23 January in an attempt to conquer Cerro Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside the Himalayas, and to raise funds for research into childhood cancers at The Institute of Cancer Research.
The explorers are hoping to raise £30,000 which will go towards the work of the Paediatric Oncology Team at The Institute of Cancer Research. This will complement a campaign run by The Institute to raise £100,000 for this area of research which is in desperate need for more funds.
The four expedition members are: Richard Cochrane, Alex Smith, Patrick McGrath and Jimmy Docherty. All work in the wine or fashion industry. They have been training hard for this three week trip as they will need a great level of fitness and stamina in order to face extreme conditions at such high altitude.
Richard Cochrane from Battersea has faced tougher challenges in his life when he fought cancer himself 10 years ago and won the battle. "I have been lucky to survive cancer and I want children to be given as much chance as possible if they get this disease.
"We will certainly enjoy this trip but I hope that we will also raise vital funds for research into childhood cancer as well as awareness into the need for more research into this area."
All are experienced climbers but Aconcagua will be the highest any of the five have climbed. They will be scaling up 6962 metres (22,841 ft) which should be enough for anyone to aim for. But this is just the start for the four as they are already planning a trip to climb over 8000 metres in the Himalayas.
Philip Black, Director of fundraising at The Institute of Cancer Research said, "We are delighted to receive such excellent support. Substantial progress has been made in childhood cancers but sadly 1 in 4 children still won't survive their illness. Furthermore, many children suffer painful side effects from current treatments and run the risk of other problems in later life so more research is urgently needed so that we can treat these type of cancers more effectively."
The main sponsors are Chilean wine producer Valdivieso and their UK agents Bibendum Wine Ltd. For the latest updates on the climbers' progress on Aconcagua, please visit
www.bibendum-wine.co.uk
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For more information, please contact:
The Institute of Cancer Research
Tel: 0207 970 6030
email: [email protected]
Notes to editors
- The Institute of Cancer Research is a centre of excellence with some of the world's leading scientists working on cutting edge research. It was founded in 1909 to carry out research into the causes of cancer and to develop new strategies for its prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.
- The Institute works in a unique partnership with The Royal Marsden Hospital, which enables scientific discoveries to be translated quickly into patient care.
- The Institute is a charity that relies on voluntary income.
Please note:
Unfortunately the press office are unable to answer queries from the general public. For general cancer information please refer to The Institute's cancer information page.