Preferred Care congratulates Journey of Inspiration climbers
on summiting Africa's rooftop!

Preferred Care is pleased to be the major sponsor of the hugely successful, first-ever Journeys of Inspiration (JOI) climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, a joint project of the Rochester chapter of the American Cancer Society and Pack, Paddle, Ski outdoor adventure travel company.

To see the Preferred Care banner unfurled in a breath-taking photo at Uhuru Peak,
click here. The page also includes hundreds of congratulatory notes to the climbers
from families, friends and well-wishers around the world.

Forty-one hikers — all of whom have either survived cancer or have loved ones affected by cancer — traveled to Tanzania on February 22, 2008 to attempt to summit the high point of Africa, honor those affected by the disease and celebrate life. A goal was set to raise $100,000 for the American Cancer Society (ACS) for research, services and programs. Preferred Care signed on last fall to support the project.

“It’s an extreme — and extremely inspiring — example of our company’s mission to help people take on life and live well,” says Lisa Brubaker, Executive Vice President, Government Programs at Preferred Care. “It has touched so many lives in beautiful ways. We are thrilled to have been a small part of it all!”

The JOI group, which included eight Preferred Care health plan members, divided into three teams to climb different routes up the 19,340-foot mountain and rendezvous at Uhuru Peak on Africa’s rooftop. In all, 39 of the 41 hikers reached the crater rim, far surpassing the average one-in-four chance of having to turn back before getting that far.  (Kilimanjaro is a massif that consists of three extinct volcanoes.)

Each climber was responsible for raising at least $2,500 to be a part of the altruistic adventure designed by Pack, Paddle, Ski. The group exceeded its original goal, raising more than $160,000 the American Cancer Society.

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania near the border of Kenya, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) south of the equator. Due to its proximity to the equator and the Indian Ocean and because of its height, Kilimanjaro features five ecological zones: lower slopes, montane forest zone, heath and moorland zone, alpine desert zone, and arctic zone. It is like climbing from the equatorial rain forest to the North Pole in the span of as few as 16 miles.

Congratulations from Preferred Care to all the JOI climbers on an incredible climb to new heights!

http://www.journeysofinspiration.com/