'I climb mountains for kids with cancer'

Sri Lankan-born Tasneem Taherali is a Dubai-based communications specialist and pilates enthusiast. She’s also a self-confessed challenge addict. Last year she trekked Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, and this year she’s done Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Her inspiration comes from her Sri Lankan upbringing and a selfless drive to help the most innocent victims – children with cancer who can’t afford treatment.

Before… “Growing up in Sri Lanka shaped me. In a society where more than 70 per cent of the population is underprivileged, helping those less fortunate was an unspoken expectation throughout my childhood. My parents, two younger sisters and I spent our spare time working with charities – sponsoring education and distributing provisions to the poor and elderly in our community. I moved to London for studies in my early 20s determined to continue my family tradition of giving back, no matter where I lived.

“In 2006, when I was 28, I moved to Dubai to work in communications. In the beginning I struggled with the materialism here, but it also taught me to be grateful for what I have, making me cherish my values even more. I started actively looking for ways to add value to the lives of others. Through Facebook I came into contact with a group called Climb for Cancer, a non-profit charitable initiative founded by a Lebanese resident in Dubai, Nizar Fakhoury. Climb for Cancer encourages amateur hikers to climb mountain peaks around the world in an effort to raise awareness for kids suffering from cancer. All proceeds raised from our awareness campaigns go to the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) in Jordan, a leading cancer treatment centre for patients from all over the Middle East. The cause and the challenge that Climb for Cancer offered captured me. With just six weeks before departure I signed up to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro,
which is 5,895m high.

It all changed when… “Climbing Kilimanjaro was the toughest, most satisfying challenge I’ve ever completed. At the start of the climb, we were a group of six strangers from all walks of life. Together, our campaigns led the public to donate $129,000 (Dh473,842) to the KHCF, enough for the treatment of two boys – three-year-old Laween from Iraq with leukaemia and four-year-old Ayham from Palestine with abdominal cancer.

“During the seven-day climb I developed altitude sickness and on summit day, it took me twice as long as the others to reach the top. I gritted my teeth for 12 long hours and thought of those boys lying in hospital. The fact that we as a team were all pushing our physical limits for a greater cause gave us all the determination we needed to eventually summit. When I finally reached the top, in the cold with little oxygen but with the world at my feet, I felt that my life had changed for ever.

As a result… “The euphoria was short-lived. A few months later we learned that while undergoing treatment Ayham lost his battle to cancer. We were devastated. Our only comfort was in the thought that his family knew that everything possible had been done to try and save him. It was a small comfort to learn that the funds were redirected to Nuha, a four-year-old Palestinian girl who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia.

“Cancer affects us all. Everybody is familiar with it and everyone knows someone who has suffered from it. I never met Ayham but his passing affected me profoundly. The thrill of summiting Kilimanjaro and the loss of Ayham left me even more determined. That’s when I decided wherever Climb for Cancer goes, I will follow.

Since then… “For our most recent challenge, last month 12 members of the Climb for Cancer team headed to Nepal. Some of us trekked to the Everest Base Camp (5,540m), the others climbed the more technical Island Peak (6,189m). Our aim was to encourage the public to support the treatment of three underprivileged children with cancer who, without help, would not get treatment. We’re hoping to raise Dh202,000 by the end of this year for KHCF in Amman, and in particular for two children, Ahmad and Huda.

Moving on… “My mission after I’ve completed Everest Base Camp is to visit the KHCF and meet the children we’ve spent months raising awareness for. The hospital is a beacon of hope for so many in the Middle East suffering from cancer and is a symbol of inspiration to me personally. Through Climb for Cancer I know I have played a direct role in saving the life of a child. These children deserve a chance in life. Cost should not be a barrier for them. Cancer, like mountains, can be conquered.”

For more information, visit www.firstgiving.com/climbforcancer or join them on www.facebook.com/climbforcancer. To take part, email info@climbforcancer.org.