What to know
- Diagnosed in 2021 with grade-three Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Tarot Stephens underwent extensive treatment including a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and medically-induced early menopause.
- Now entering her final year of remission, she’s set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in January as part of Summit of Strength, a campaign with Rethink Breast Cancer aimed at inspiring young survivors.
- The eight-day trek, through climates ranging from rainforest to freezing alpine terrain, symbolizes the “summits” cancer patients face during treatment.
- The campaign also seeks to raise awareness about early detection and is accepting donations to support young women living with breast cancer.
A Toronto woman is planning to climb Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro next month to celebrate being cancer-free, and hoping to spread awareness and inspire others with her story.
In 2021, 29-year-old Tarot Stephens was diagnosed with grade-three Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC), a highly advanced, fast-growing, and aggressive form of breast cancer. Already navigating the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, she says the news left her in complete shock.
“I was living in LA at the time, and I had to come back home to Toronto and quarantine here, which was very scary because those two weeks you’re thinking, you know, ‘Is it growing?’” Stephens told Now Toronto on Wednesday.
Since then, she has undergone various treatments, including a lumpectomy to remove the cancerous lump, followed by a double mastectomy, in which both breasts are removed, and chemotherapy. Considering her cancer was hormone receptor positive, Stephens also had to take medication to induce early menopause as a part of the treatment, which she described as “devastating” for someone her age.
SURVIVOR CLIMBING MOUNT KILIMANJARO
After years of treatment, Stephens is now entering her final year of remission, which means signs and symptoms of the disease have now decreased or disappeared, and she will soon officially be able to call herself a cancer survivor.
To commemorate this amazing milestone, Stephens says she will climb Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano in Tanzania which is the highest mountain in Africa and the world’s highest free-standing mountain above sea level. Standing at 5,895 m above sea level, the climb will take a total of eight days to complete, as she’ll have to navigate various weather conditions during the journey.
“I think at the base you start and it’s really warm, so you’re in shorts, and it’s like a summer day. Then, you go through the rainforest, and then you go through the desert, and then, as you get closer to the peak, to the summit, it gets very, very cold. So, I’m cold and above the clouds in freezing cold weather. I have to pack for a lot of different climates, but I think I’ll be prepared,” she said.
Stephens said she has always enjoyed travelling and going on outdoor adventures, and wanted to celebrate her remission by uniting her passion with something that could challenge her.
The climb, which is set for January, is also part of a campaign called Summit of Strength, in partnership with Rethink Breast Cancer, a Canadian charity that educates, empowers, and advocates for those dealing with the disease.
By documenting every step of her climbing journey, from training to a post-expedition documentary, the campaign hopes to inspire other young women who were diagnosed through storytelling and advocacy.
“I think it’s a metaphor for how every survivor has conquered their own summit through their battle with cancer, so why not continue to challenge yourself, be brave, [and] take risks? We only have one life to live,” Stephens said.
CAMPAIGN HOPES TO RAISE AWARENESS AND RESOURCES
Besides being a meaningful way to celebrate a personal milestone, and inspire other survivors in their journey, Stephens hopes the campaign will raise awareness about breast cancer and help other women get diagnosed sooner.
According to Statistics Canada, approximately 28,600 Canadian women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022, while 5,500 were estimated to die from it. The disease accounts for 25 per cent of new cancer cases, with one in eight women expected to develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, and one in 34 expected to die from it.
Breast cancer may not show any symptoms in early stages, and signs usually appear once the tumour is large enough to be felt as a lump, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. Other symptoms include changes to the breast, discharge, weakness, weight loss, nausea, and more. Early detection of the disease is extremely important, often leading to less treatment and recovery time.
“Breast cancer affects one in eight women in their lifetime…Everyone knows someone who’s been through it. And so I think by sharing stories and messages and kind of uniting the community, it’ll hopefully prevent it from continuing to affect so many people,” Stephens said.
As part of the summit, Rethink Breast Cancer is also accepting donations to support young women living through the diagnosis with resources, community and advocacy. To donate or find more information, visit the Rethink Breast Cancer website.
Stephens, who is a travel influencer and health advocate, hopes to go on more adventures post-remission, and continue to inspire other survivors with her story.
“When you share the stories with the world, it increases awareness and understanding and compassion, and that’s the goal.”
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