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Half Dome: Yosemite, California |
Latest News
Exercise
Your Heart, Share the Beat
Regular
Northwest Route
- June 2008
Heart transplant
recipient, Kelly Perkins, and The James Redford Institute for Transplant
Awareness (JRI), are teaming up
on June 28th to encourage organ donation in an event themed, “Exercise Your
Heart, Share the Beat” where Perkins and her husband Craig will scale
Half Dome in Yosemite.
Why Half Dome? There
is a reason why over 3 million visitors from around the globe come to
Yosemite each year to witness the most awe inspiring landscape on the
planet. Lured by the
images and history that created such monumental formations, just
standing in the presence of these mammoth walls has been known to be a
life changing
experience.
While each granite mass is an
impressive symbol of nature, Half Dome remains the beacon of the Valley.
Known for its distinctive shape, images of Half Dome have made their way
on to everything from the canvasses of famous photographers and painters
to license plates and snow domes.
For
Kelly, Half Dome’s history
cuts deeper than the glaciers that created this icon, as it represents
her very first post transplant milestone, the first major summit she
reached with her donor heart nearly 12 years ago. Initially selected
because of its unforgettable broken shape, the natural dome sheered in
half; there is an underlying symbolic message that can be taken. “If it
were whole, it would lose its uniqueness,” Kelly said. “There is a
profound spirit-building message in the fact that it is not perfect, yet
still stands as tall and mighty as all the others.” This significance
was not lost on Kelly; a message she hopes to share with other organ
recipients.
In
June of 2008, with
their trademark, “Team Approach”, Kelly will be joined by her husband
and climbing partner Craig, Filmmaker Michael Brown, and Yosemite
Mountain guide Scott Stowe, in her effort to lay the groundwork for one
of the most powerful organ donor messages to date. Unlike her experience
in 1996, where Kelly reached the summit by hiking the trail from
Half Dome’s back side, this time she will be climbing the sheer
face of this world recognized landmark.
Upon
reaching the summit,
Kelly and her team will be greeted by a group of well wishers in support
of her effort and message. Each supporter will wear a commemorative
t-shirt during the hike (Thank you Oakley!), as well as carry up an
additional shirts to be given to climbers at the top. Together hikers
and climbers will momentarily stand in formation to compose a “human
heart”. . The symbolic image will then be photographed from a nearby
vantage point to capture the powerful image, all in an attempt to pull
on the heart strings of others for support and participation in the
recycling of organs, blood, and
tissue.
Heart Carabiner Design by Artist & Heart Recipient
Grant Searcey.
Click here
for an article on a previous climb - Cajon de Arenales, Argentina |
