Mar 11, 2008 5:51 pm US/Mountain
Multiple Sclerosis Doesn't Slow Climber
DENVER (CBS4) ―
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An image of Wendy Booker on the Team Copaxone Web site
An athlete with multiple sclerosis who has scaled many of the world's highest mountains is training in Colorado.
Wendy Booker's goal is to scale the highest peaks on all seven continents, and she's well on her way. She is training at Lakeshore Athletic Club in Denver for climbs on the last two of these peaks: Australia's Mount Kosciuszko and Asia's Mount Everest.
Booker, who takes the drug Copaxone for her condition, says her motivation is simple: to not let multiple sclerosis get in the way of her dreams.
"I said I really would like to do this to show people with MS and the newly diagnosed to get on therapy. Don't let us off because we have MS. We are still strong and viable members of the community and we can do anything we put our heart and mind to," Booker said.
Booker has definitely done that, becoming the first woman with multiple sclerosis to summit five of the highest mountains in the world.
When Booker climbs, lots of thoughts go through her head. Sometimes she thinks about how it would be nice to be with her mother. Other times she things she may have gotten in a little over her head.
Such thoughts don't stop her. She says the one thing that has helped her keep going has been getting on a therapy of injections.
"MS is such a difficult disease -- an unpredictable disease -- that it's difficult to face not knowing what the future holds. But by getting on a therapy you can maintain some kind of control," she said.
While the challenges of training and meeting her goals are intense, Booker says that in the end, it's all worth it.
More About Booker
Booker is also a member of the team put together by Copaxone's manufacturer. Called Team Copaxone, it's a group of people who refuse to let multiple sclerosis block them from achieving their dreams. The following information comes from Booker's bio on the Team Copaxone Web site:
In 2004, Booker successfully reached the 20,320 foot summit of Mt. McKinley, also known as Denali ... the expedition, her second attempt, provided the opportunity for her to be the only woman living with MS to conquer McKinley.
Booker has completed the Boston Marathon (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005), the Marine Corp Marathon (2004) and the New York Marathon (2002, 2003).
She also has served as captain of the Marathon Strides Against MS team for the Boston-Area National MS Society.
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