Prelude
Ordinary seniors enjoy brisk walks in the park, some moderate hiking or cycling and swimming laps each week. But, at 60-something, Marian Lowery is no ordinary senior!
A retired educator married to retired teacher, artist and musician Bruce Dolsen, this feisty mother of two grown children has enjoyed a full, busy life. And always up for an interesting challenge, she’s already encountered a few: growing up in Winnipeg with seven siblings; early teaching days in the Arctic; training for and running a half marathon in 2001; an ocean kayaking expedition to celebrate turning 50; learning to weave following retirement; researching and writing a sweeping historical novel, and the list continues.
Then, this year, Marian set out to conquer a mountain! Just last spring, she signed on to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and boldly billed as a strenuous physical as well as psychological climb.
Plans and Preparations
In March, Marian inspired friends with her newest challenge, smiling as she said, “I want to tell you all about a project I’ve undertaken. Quite a demanding mountain trek, Ascent for Alzheimer’s forms part of the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s campaign to raise funds for research and education. Our leader Sue Oakey from Northstar Adventures and five other women form the majority of our team of 10. Y’know, most of the members are 50-plus, but I just may be the oldest!”
By the time Marian shared her grand plan, she’d already begun training, grinding up mountain bike trails on Vancouver’s North Shore throughout the spring. Later from her cottage home base, she was climbing Mt. Galiano’s trails and cycling the island’s roadways all summer long. Like previous teams, this dedicated 2011 version would prepare and fundraise for the next seven months and then fly to Tanzania to tackle Kilimanjaro.
How amazing all this sounded, almost unreal! But, providing regular updates and by relying on her strengths of cooking, weaving and networking with her choir, tai chi, book club, needlework groups, Marian made her once in a lifetime experience more relevant for friends, colleagues and supporters.
Her African-inspired dinners, participation in a mega garage sale, raffling her hand-woven forget-me-not scarves and carrying hand-inscribed seashells to the mountaintop for contributors, took her way over her $10,000 fundraising goal.
Motivation
“Many of you know that my mother passed away four years ago from Alzheimer’s disease, and honouring her memory forms a big part of my motivation. As well,” Marian says, “I am excited to hear of the many current research projects going on in B.C. So, rather than sitting back waiting for governments to provide funding, I decided to do my bit to help out.” The team ultimately raised almost $130,000, which went entirely to support the Society’s goals: education, research and help for families. Team members themselves bear all travel costs.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in people over 65. Right now, over 500,000 Canadians have Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, a number expected to double by 2038. There are over 70,000 sufferers in B.C. alone; 10,000 of those under 65, and 72 per cent of sufferers are women. Seeing a loved one slip slowly away takes an incredible emotional toll.
“So,” Marian smiles, “with my mother’s spirit riding along, knowing that my friends believe in me and with supportive teammates, I embark on training and fundraising with optimism.”
Fully committed to muscle and cardio strengthening, conditioning and group hikes, Marian trained as well as possible for the gruelling climb ahead. “Our team is a group of fine individuals – tough, committed, generous and funny. We’ve done several arduous hikes together, with good success,” says Marian. And, by late September, the time had come; the scene was set, team ready!
Five Days Up, Two Down
Setting out from Simba Camp, the hikers gradually gained altitude through sunshine and cypress trees, birdsong and heather, monkeys and hard rains – steadily getting to 12,800 feet (3,902 metres) along trails muddied from the downpour.
A taste of what lay ahead came at 14,800 feet (4,511 metres). Marian wrote in her diary: “Travelling mountainous tracks along steep side slopes of Mawenzi Peak, the distant black crater moves in and out of cloud as we do. This day, we climb our last 12-feet (4-metres) hand-over-hand, testing our footholds and relying on the guides to help us to the top. It felt terrific to achieve this altitude! Later camped, we explore some caves another couple of hundred feet up.”
She continued, “Ahead, we sight another steep incline to cross. The Camel’s Back leads us on to Kibo Hut at 15,200 feet (4,633 metres). Once there, the actual summit trail is visible, high and narrow with several glaciers rising at and below eye level. In tents awaiting the 11 p.m. call, everyone practises suiting up, preparing backpacks and sleeping.”
Marian likely grinned as she wrote, “Our final ascent begins under starry skies and minus -4 degrees Celsius temperatures.” Over the next seven hours, they zigzag across the rock face to Gilman’s Point, covering 3.7 miles (6 kilometres). During the last 45 minutes, a huge boulder field demands giant steps up and around the climb’s steepest part. “Though still pitch black and now -10 degrees, we could tell there were drop-offs where certain death awaited if you stumbled. Here, our guides spot us at the most exposed parts, sing African rhythms to encourage us upward, and even offer to carry our packs.”
“You fall into a kind of trance, the cold gets much worse, breathing more difficult. But when the sun rose, we’re at the crater’s rim! Though cold, exhausted and dry-mouthed, it was such a lift to see light over the roof of Africa! But Uruhu Peak still lays 1 1/2-hours away,” and, she writes, “that last 200 feet (61 metres) of elevation seemed elusively distant.”
All 10 of them made it to the top! “Such a huge challenge!” she announced later, “By supporting one another, we did it! And with lots of help from our guides.”
“We approached the signpost, screaming in disbelief, celebrating with tears, hugs, singing! Then, unlike the Alzheimer patients for whom we were climbing, we descend leaving behind our foggy brains as we lose elevation,” she observes. Most boot-skied almost 2,000 vertical feet (609 metres) down the scree and, last of all, hiked 15.5 miles (25 kilometres) out of the park.
During an emotional moment at their final dinner together, the team awarded Marian their carved walking stick to keep in recognition of her strength, courage and fundraising success.
Postscript
“Yes, trekking to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro was awesome, a rare chance to test my training and mental toughness, meet physical goals, and to do it for an important reason. This expedition had many tests: weather, altitude, sore muscles. But as with Alzheimer’s, the struggle was waged with sufficient preparation, good support and a focus on the journey, not the summit.”
For more information, visit www.alzheimerbc.org or www.ascentbc.ca to learn more about the team, its history and goals.
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