... for some fresh air. That's what some might think Patrick Sansone '21 is all about as he prepares to climb a mountain, but there's a whole lot more fueling Sansone's mountain adventure. While featured recently in In the Red Room on the Road: Chicago, Sansone still had a few minutes to share additional thoughts and details about this trek into the wild. Here's what Sansone had to say when I was able to chat with him one on one.
St. Ed: What have you been doing since you left Steds?
Sansone: Since I graduated almost two years ago I moved to Durham, North Carolina. I study medical physics at Duke, and I will be graduating in May of this year with my master's! “Medical Physics” is a niche field in healthcare that applies principles of physics to diagnose and treat diseases, most notably cancer. I hope to become a resident 'medical physicist' working in radiation oncology helping treat those diagnosed with cancer starting this summer.
St Ed: Now, I heard you are climbing a mountain. What’s that all about? Looking for some fresh air?
Sansone: Yes! Between when I graduate and hopefully start my first job, I will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro at the end of May. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the world's tallest free standing mountain. I won't be going alone though, I am going with a group called Radiating Hope, a fantastic non-profit increasing global access to lifesaving cancer treatment equipment. Cancer rates in Sub-Saharan Africa are skyrocketing, creating a new and urgent need for more radiation therapy machines. However, these machines are expensive in their purchase and maintenance, so I am fundraising to help close this disparity in access to cancer equipment.
St. Ed: Kilimanjaro? Watch out for the snow! If you aren’t afraid of the climb, then you must be afraid of the wild animals, right?
Sansone: I'm definitely afraid of both, that's for sure! I'll take my chances with the snow though if i had to pick. However, I am highly motivated to get to the top. This effort is significant to me because I am raising money for the same radiation producing machines that I hope to use in my own career as a medical physicist. It is really empowering to know that my efforts may help not only those in Tanzania needing cancer treatment, but will enable a medical physicist just like myself to do our work from halfway across the world.
St. Ed: Wow, this walkabout just got more serious. With some much at stake, how are you preparing?
Sansone: Unfortunately the altitude in North Carolina isn't up to snuff with what I am going to be facing in Tanzania, so I am doing what I can. Mainly, I've been running A LOT more. Luckily, Kilimanjaro is not a technically dangerous climb, so no using ropes to climb up cliff faces to get to the top!
St. Ed: Okay, I am going to ask the question that’s on everyone’s mind, are you going to carry a Steds flag to the top of Kilimanjaro?
Sansone: I guess it’s official, I’ll carry up a Steds flag to the top!! With that said, I’ll make one final plug to humbly ask for Steds’ support in this fundraising effort. Small donations add up quickly! A suggested amount is $19, one dollar for every thousand feet Kilimanjaro is tall, but no gift is too small!! 100% of all donations go directly to funding cancer equipment in Tanzania, so you can be sure your money goes a long way towards helping out!
St. Ed: Thanks for your time... and good luck! Don't forget. to send a postcard.
TO DONATE and radiate hope, click HERE. Remember to select "Patrick Sansone" under the fundraiser tab.
