SEATTLE — Dec. 7, 2007 — Local mountain guides Kevin Mahoney and Bayard Russell Jr. will be two of four professional mountaineers to embark on Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Big Expedition for Cancer Research. This unique quest marks the first time that a group of expert mountaineers and a cancer research center have mounted an expedition to an unclimbed mountain in the name of cancer research.
"Tackling an unclimbed mountain is analogous to the research efforts in seeking a cure for cancer - the route is often unknown and there are setbacks, but achieving the goal is paramount," said Lee Hartwell, Ph.D., president and director of the Hutchinson Center. "Mahoney and Russell, along with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, have undertaken this expedition to an unclimbed mountain to symbolize the enormity of the task ahead."
Mahoney, 38, and Russell, 30, were both selected for their past experience. Mahoney, who resides in his hometown of Madison, has climbed for the past 16 years and guided for 12 years. Russell, a North Conway resident, has climbed the Quartet Ice Hose, the West Ridge of Mount Hunter, the Harding Route on the Keller Needle, the Salathe Wall, and more recently the Steck-Salathe and the North Summit of Denali. Both climbers have climbed some of the most challenging and exhilarating peaks in the world.
"Kevin Mahoney and Bayard Russell Jr. were hand picked for this expedition because of their passion and experience in climbing," said Hartwell. "They are talented and goal oriented mountaineers who reflect the bold, innovative nature of the researchers at the Hutchinson Center."
The inaugural Big Expedition for Cancer Research will take place next June in Alaska. The specific location of the mountain, chosen by the team members and the Expedition's Mountaineering Advisory Committee, will be announced this winter.
New Hampshire residents will be able to follow Mahoney and Russell step-by-step during the planning stages and then through the expedition itself on the Big Expedition for Cancer Research Website. It is hoped that those following the expedition will gain an appreciation for the parallels with the ground-breaking research being conducted at the Hutchinson Center, which will also be noted on the site.
Media Contacts
Kristen Woodard
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org
Dan McConnell
SVP/Managing Director
DDB Public Relations
(206) 223-6466
dan.mcconnell@sea.ddb.com
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Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit www.fhcrc.org.
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