"A path... to the innermost part of his being..." D. Ming-DaoPlease read the title above these images slowly again, in case you went over it too quickly, as it is not just a play on words, but a significant metaphor of meaning & magic, of inspiration & spirit...
In his early twenties, Rob Hill himself (pictured above) was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and underwent serious surgery. He also unfortunately discovered the stigma that often accompanies this disease. His not-for-profit program IDEAS, (International Disease Education & Awareness Society) sponsors children with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) so that they are then able to attend summer camps where they learn, grow, all while sharing and enjoying experiences with other children living with IBD. IDEAS also raises funds for research.
The IBD site says that: "Some of you may be wondering why the name (No Guts Know Glory) also puts a focus on 'know' or knowledge. When Rob was sick, like many people who are deeply affected by inflammatory bowel disease, he came to realize that knowledge of himself was his key to a complete recovery. One of the most attractive things about spending time in the mountains is the self reflection these experiences often create - being high up tends to give you a completely different perspective on your life, your world and the things that are important to you."
They write further: "If you ask a marathon runner or an Ironman triathlete why they do what they do, push their bodies the way they do, many will tell you it's because taking on these kinds of physical challenges creates the conditions necessary to truly understand themselves. There are few lonelier times than when you are deep inside yourself searching for that something to get you through a significant challenge. That something is knowledge. It's the knowledge that you have it in you, a strength, a faith, a desire, a will, to drive forward, to reach high, to aim your sights on a new goal, a new vision or sometimes even just survival in the face of a potentially life-threatening illness like Crohn's disease."
For Rob, his adventure message is all about that having IBD or an ostomy, as he does, shouldn't stop you from leading a full life... What he believes resonates close to our own adventurous hearts when he says inspirationally,"While reaching the top of each mountain is a great accomplishment, with respect... removing the social stigma associated with these diseases and having an ostomy is a far more daunting task". He quotes a young person too whom he has met and inspired recently who said, "This isn't really about climbing mountains, it's about moving them".
Powerful words, potent concepts...
So how has Rob put his ideas into motion, how has he used his life experiences to inspire... In an amazing way that almost all adventurers, likely every climber, and certainly the rest of us ordinary wanderers can look up to: Rob is climbing the highest mountain on each continent...
There are not many who have done this; only a few hundred, and only fifteen Canadians - who have taken their dreams and dedication to the highest points on these areas of our continental earth.
Rob though, is the only person living with Crohn's disease and an ostomy to do this...
He has climbed six up till now, raises funds for IDEAS on the way, and provides many with inspiration as he ascends each one. He started with Mt. Elbrus, Russia in 2002; Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in 2003; Aconcagua, Chile in 2004; Denali, Alaska in 2005; Mt. Vinson Massif, Antarctica in 2006; the Carstenz Pyramid, Indonesia in 2007... Now this spring, here in 2010, Rob is looking towards the last of his Seven Summits - Mt. Everest...
Rob won't be alone on this purposeful vision quest, as other adventurers like Paul Head - their 'Super Baje', and Clinton Shard - their youngest member, and Phil Wu & Bob Peterson will also be along on the Everest Trek portion of this wonderful adventure.
Rob, IBD Adventures, and his support team are inviting any of us to delve into our own adventurous dreams, create our own personal motivation, and go along with them. You can inquire about this on their site linked below, where donations are also accepted.
From my own perspective, everything I have done in my adventure wandering, and every moment I continue to have out in the wilds, has grown from the spark of such inspiration as that which Rob gifts to us. I experienced this first within Outward Bound, later with Mountain Guides, Elders, and the many challenged yet so hardy adventurers who have journeyed with us out there. For many years our inspiration has been not only about elusive adventure objectives, but in moving towards the horizon with those in mind who climb mountains every day of their lives, as I have written about in the link below of "There Is A Place We Go In The Mountains"...
Rob & IBD Adventures are a wonderful example of 'intestinal fortitude', if you will, of courage in the midst of pain & adversity, where we discover certain kinds of hidden strengths which as adventurers we all admire and aspire to.
So let's be sure to follow along with Rob and IBD's "No Guts Know Glory" endeavor - a metaphor of meaning & magic, a journey of spirit & commitment...
DSD
"Know Guts Know Glory" - http://nogutsknowglory.com/
"Changing Attitudes With Altitude" - http://summitstonesadventuremusings.blogspot.com/2009/09/changing-attitudes-with-altitude-ibd.html
"A Place We Go In The Mountains" - http://summitstonesadventuremusings.blogspot.com/2008/01/there-is-place-we-go-in-mountains.html
1 comment:
Thanks for this post and the insights it contains.
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