Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Jobana Soto

Last week marked the end of a journey for a group of trekkers seeking the wondrous Machu Picchu. While surviving the Inca Trail is an accomplishment in itself, the prestige was elsewhere. With the support of the Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHSF), 62 trekkers from around the world came together to climb the Inca monument in an event called Peru Rocks. 

Peru Rocks is the latest project from LHSF where musicians, cancer survivors and supporters embark on an enlightening journey celebrating life in the face of cancer. A year ago, LHSF broke the record for the highest concert ever performed at the base camp of Mount Everest for Everest Rocks last year.

But the journey is not about breaking records, LHSF continue their ‘Rocks’ events to provide funding for cancer centers around the world. Their trek to Machu Picchu was viewed by 400 thousand supporters on perurocks.org where videos and pictures of the journey are posted.

During their 10-day trip in Peru, four was spent on the Inca Trail with grueling challenges from altitude sickness to food poisoning. The collective strength of the group would prevent them from failing, and through song and dance by accompanying musicians Fastball and members of The Alarm and the Fixx, they would find the inner strength to finish. In the end, ashes of lost loved ones were spread atop Machu Picchu in their honor.

Many inspirational stories can be found on the Peru Rocks website with daily journals from trekkers like Tracey Callahan, who was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer five years ago. The odds of surviving were, in her doctor’s words, “nil” and was said in the presence of her three-year-old son. The emotionless response fueled Callahan to embark on Peru Rocks. It was a victory for her and others to never lose hope.

With the success of Peru Rocks, Cusco plans to hire an ambulance, in partnership with ALINEN and headed by Dr. Felix Bautista, to travel through surrounding areas screening 20 to 30 thousand people for breast, cervical and colon cancer.

“If all goes well, within six months time” Cusco residents can expect the project to go public says Shannon Foley, Executive Director of LHSF. She was given the key to the city of Aguas Calientes by the mayor after the group's musical performance in the town square.

The journey ended in Lima where a tribute concert was held in light of the group’s accomplishment. LHSF are currently in talks with INEN hospital in Lima and ALINEN to discuss how proceeds from Peru Rocks will benefit cancer hospitals in Peru.

To read more on the amazing journey through the Inca Trail head on over to perurocks.org

All photos © 2008 Gary Noel