A DIY Fundraiser to Celebrate 10 Years of Being Cancer Free: David Andrews

Like many people, David Andrews was looking to end 2020 on a positive note. An avid hiker and runner living in New Albany, IN, David had participated in virtual events with several running groups around the United States. One of his groups set forth a challenge to climb 33,000 vertical feet in 25 days. He decided to take on the challenge and use it to generate awareness for cancer research.

Cancer was, unfortunately, a big part of David’s life. In 2010, at the age of 44, complications from an appendectomy led to a CT scan revealing cancer on his left kidney. December 2020 marked the 10th anniversary of surgery that successfully removed the cancer. “It’s a happy anniversary for me, and I remain hopeful for friends battling cancer right now,” he says.

When asked what inspired his climb, David explains “I wanted to finish 2020 off with something that was super positive. I wanted to bring awareness to cancer, which will affect more people this year than COVID-19.”

The challenge was not an easy one—33,000 vertical feet and almost 144 miles. He completed the challenge two days early—in just 23 days—donning a Santa suit on the 23rd day, December 23, to the delight of his neighbors and passersby. “People were waving and honking horns. It was very cool and encouraging,” he says.

David was climbing six to seven miles a day, doing nothing but going up and down hills. He had several friends and his daughter join him on a few of his climbs, but it was mostly a solo effort. “Many friends walked and ran with me over the 144 miles and the 80+ trips up Floyds Knobs.”

David is so close to reaching a fundraising goal of $3,300 ($100 per thousand vertical feet climbed).