Most young people eight months out from their wedding would be composing registry lists and finalizing venue details. However, Dr. Garrett Brown and his fiancée, Alex Anne Spencer, are preparing to leave in less than two weeks to participate in a monumental cancer fundraiser. The Live Oak, Florida native and Spencer are preparing to honor loved ones and many others they’ve never even met by taking on a “tall” order – climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise funds for cancer patients.

In 2014, Brown’s father, Gary, was diagnosed with two types (leukemia and prostate) of stage 4 terminal cancer. Brown, who obtained his medical degree from Florida State University College of Medicine in 2013, had just begun his first year of residency at UF Health Shands Hospital (UF Shands) in Gainesville, Florida when his father began his treatment there. Brown says that watching his father go through the difficult treatments is what motivated him to become involved with cancer patients and fundraising through the non-profit Climb for Cancer Foundation.

Established in 2002, the 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization provides support and funding to the patients and families affected by cancer. All funds raised by the foundation go directly to provide services or needed items to cancer patients served by UF Shands. The funds also enable children to attend a special camp for children with cancer called Camp Sunshine, and also help alleviate financial burdens for cancer patients and their families incurred by travel, prescription costs and many other costs associated with care.

Spencer’s mother is a 25-year survivor of Nodular Sclerosis Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Her cancer surgeries and treatment were also at UF Shands in Gainesville. Spencer joins her fiancé in this fundraising climb to honor and celebrate her mother’s 25 years of life since her diagnosis, her health and beating cancer.

Brown learned of the foundation and its climb effort through a friend who lost a sister to cancer. He and Spencer became committed to participating nine or 10 months ago and have been training since for the challenging upcoming climb. While Brown has climbed mountains in Hawaii and hiked in the Appalachian mountains, he admits he’s never taken on anything of this magnitude.

When asked what his greatest challenge would be, he replied, “the altitude and oxygen. I’m also taking a crash course in wilderness medicine.” In preparation, the couple is focusing on cardiovascular and aerobics training in their Gainesville community. 

Joining Brown and Spencer on the climb, expected to take seven days, will be three other local Florida residents and five other individuals from across the world. 

Brown’s personal goal is to raise $16,000. Presently, he has raised $10,609.

His dad said he couldn’t be prouder of his son, the first of an expected three doctors in their immediate family. Brown’s twin brothers are medical students at the University of Florida College of Medicine. 

“God has blessed us with three wonderful boys, but I was in awe that Garrett wanted to take on such an amazing feat in my honor,” Gary Brown said. “I pray every day for God to wrap his protection around my boys and I pray that Garrett continues on God’s path, even if it takes him to the top of the world’s fourth tallest mountain.” 

Brown’s mother, Deb-Rose, added that, “with God’s help we raised our boys to be godly men, to help others and to do the right thing. I am so proud of Garrett for living up to these expectations and for helping make more people aware that cancer does not discriminate. It will eventually touch your life or some close to you. I pray that God continues to bless Garrett on his endeavor.”

Brown says he has received support and donations from all over, including associates from the FSU College of Medicine, former associates at Shands Hospital in Sarasota, Florida and family and friends in Live Oak, Florida. 

“It means the world to have such great people in the community as we try to make a difference in people’s lives who need it most,” he said.

Bass writes for the Suwannee, Florida Democrat.