Ben Gibson
loves chasing big summits — skiing steep lines, running ridge trails, and finding peace in the mountains. But ask him what really defines his life, and he’ll tell you it’s his family and his community.
In August 2025, a full-body Prenuvo scan — a birthday gift from Sharee as a preventative check and to ‘set a baseline’ for longevity in a healthy, 37-year-old athlete — revealed something completely unexpected: an almost 3cm suspicious mass in Ben’s right lung. A PET-CT confirmed it looked cancerous. A biopsy identified it as a rare and aggressive subtype of lung cancer called high-grade fetal adenocarcinoma (H-FLAC) — something rarely found in early stages and typically with very poor outcomes.
Within weeks, Ben underwent a right upper lobectomy, meaning they removed the top portion of his right lung, including the lymph-nodes and artery, in an effort to eradicate the cancer we caught early. He’s now recovering from major surgery, adjusting to life with reduced lung capacity, and preparing for the next phase of treatment and healing.
The Goal Collectively climb the equivalent of Everest: 29,032’
If you know Ben, you know he lights up when people push themselves. He loves seeing people get outside, get after something, and breathe a little heavier for something that matters.
Right now, he can’t climb. But we can.
We’re climbing to encourage Ben, to remind him he’s not in this fight alone, and to show him the same grit and determination he’s always inspired in others. Every foot of elevation gained, every step, stair, or summit, is a message to him that we’ve got his back.
This challenge is about strength, support, and awareness.
Yes, we plan to raise funds to help cover Ben’s treatment costs, support therapies, and to donate to rare tumor research — but the money isn’t the point. The climb is.
Being fit and strong has already made a huge difference in his ability to handle surgery and recovery. Every day for him feels like the first night waking up at 17,000 feet — lungs burning, gasping for air, body fighting to adapt. So let’s all get a little breathless with him.
And as we climb, we’re also raising awareness for proactive health — for getting a scan, doing your over-due blood work with your primary doctor, investing in your body even when you feel fine. Because catching this early changed everything.
While he can’t climb, we will.
One foot, one mile, one mountain at a time — for Ben, with Ben, and because of him.
Why w'e’re doing this
HOW IT WORKS
Climb — Hike, walk on a treadmill incline, run up a mountain, bike, skin up and ski down, or even climb stairs. Every foot gained, any way you do it on your own two feet, counts.
Log — Enter your elevation in our simple form every time you finish a climb.
Give — Donate directly or pledge per 100 ft climbed. (coming soon)
Get a Scan
The preventative full-body MRI Ben did saved his life.
Here’s a $300 referral discount link if you’re interested.