Three years ago, Julie Quillin lost her best friend, Tammy Herrera, to breast cancer. An article in the Fresno Bee from June 2006 recalls Tammy as an “athlete spark plug” – a fan of extreme sports, particularly wake boarding and snowboarding, an activity that resulted in sprained ankles and a broken heel.
Considering Tammy’s penchant for adventure, it’s not surprising that Julie, who was unable to attend the funeral, chose to say goodbye and pay tribute to her friend by climbing Mt. Shasta.
In June, Julie will join a 40-member, international team of climbers to scale the 14,162-foot peak of Mt. Shasta to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Fund, an organization focused on prevention by identifying the environmental causes of breast cancer.
The Mt. Shasta “Climb Against the Odds” is the 10th major mountain expedition hosted by the Breast Cancer Fund. Created in the early 1990s by breast cancer survivors Laura Evans and Breast Cancer Fund founder Andrea Ravinett Martin, the climb allowed women with breast cancer to face incredible physical challenges to raise awareness and funds for their cause.
It is hard to believe Julie, who is incredibly out-going, animated and enthusiastic, when she admits that she isn’t very social. She claims that Tammy was much more social than she is and that the climb is “Tammy’s way of forcing me to get out, have fun and meet more people.” Julie is continuously motivated by the spirit of her friend who loved the outdoors and thrived on challenge.
Team members are responsible for their own climb expenses so that 100% of donations are contributed to the Breast Cancer Fund. Julie has raised approximately $3,800, a portion of the team’s $625,000 goal.
For more information about the climb or to contribute to the Breast Cancer Fund, visit www.breastcancerfund.org/climb09/julieq. To follow Julie’s progress as she prepares to climb Mt. Shasta, visit her blog, http://quillins.blogspot.com/. Read about the team and Julie’s training, Part 2 of Julie’s Mt. Shasta adventure, next month on Food for Thought.
HawkMan Studios is proud to host an evening of wine tasting and art to benefit the Breast Cancer Fund, Tuesday, April 7, 6:00 PM at Vintage Wine Bar & Restaurant. The event will include a display of “Art of Mt. Shasta,” silent auction of local art and gifts from local businesses, wine tasting and an inspirational talk by Julie about her friend Tammy, her amazing adventure, the team and her rigorous training.
Adam Mankoski is a recent North State transplant who feels completely at home here. He enjoys experiencing and writing about the people, places and things that embody the free spirit of the State of Jefferson. He and his partner are the owners of HawkMan Studios and the creators of Redding’s 2nd Saturday Art Hop.
