Two ICA’s volunteers and cancer survivors will conquer the Matterhorn Mountain in Switzerland

15/09/2011 09:49:01

When the Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off this coming October, Mrs. Maya Ezrahi and Mrs. Orna Kalron will already be sharing experiences of their unbelievable and unforgettable journey with their beloved ones. Both, Mrs. Maya Ezrahi, medical secretary from Haifa, and Mrs. Orna Kiron, insurance agent from the Galilee, contracted cancer and recovered.

As part of the “Europa Donna” Project - the European Breast Cancer Coalition represented by ICA in Israel, they are scheduled to climb the Matterhorn Mountain in Switzerland next week, which is the same mountain that can be found on all the cardboard wrapper of Toblerone chocolate.

“We are very excited” says Mrs. Ezrahi, “Up until now; my physical activity amounted to climbing the stairs”. But after my illness, I decided I was going to enjoy every minute of my life. Ever since then, this has become the motto of my life”.

Mrs. Kalron, on the other hand, says: “I have always been athletic but I have never done any trekking or mountain climbing”. She is nevertheless very much looking forward to placing the flag on the mountain top. “I’ll reach the top of that mountain no matter what. It is a matter of spirit. After having beaten this illness, mountain climbing won’t faze us!”

The two ladies are volunteers in the “Reach to Recovery” Program, sponsored by the Israel Cancer Association. “Only those who have experienced it can understand what it is all about”, says, Mrs. Ezrahi, “I often tell patients what I would have liked to scream with them during my illness. I feel I am helping them and they are helping me. I still remember the first Israel Cancer Association volunteer who came to visit me when I had surgery for the first time”.

Mrs. Kiron contracted breast cancer at the age of 36. She started to volunteer about 12 years ago “out of a great need to provide some light at the end of the tunnel for women who are standing in the dark. It is sometimes very hard but the smile is worth everything”. She also stresses that “Early detection is the most important thing. That is why people should just go and get tested”.

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