There is a Japanese proverb that states: a wise man will climb Mt. Fuji once, a fool will climb it twice. I suppose I’m an extremely foolish man, as this was my third time climbing the mountain. Yet, I don’t feel foolish; I feel proud.

Mt. Fuji is deceiving. It looks beautiful and simple like a sculpture, which makes many people think it’s easier to climb — but it’s not. It’s one of the few mountains where the descent is actually more difficult than the ascent. This climb was a true challenge, but upon finishing it, I felt peaceful and accomplished, with courage to face the future. I hope everyone else on my team felt the same.

Completing this climb with those affected by multiple myeloma — the patients, caregivers and doctors — as well as the CURE Media group, and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) gave me insight that I would have not gained otherwise. Hearing the personal stories of the patients and seeing the empowerment the climb gave them, as well as learning the philosophies and tactics of the sponsoring organizations, really clued me in and helped me see the resiliency and dedication of everyone on the hike. It gave me a more meaningful vision of why we fundraise and raise awareness for this community.

I believe the Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma (MM4MM) initiative will move the multiple myeloma community toward a future filled with hope, even though I recognize that this climb was a very little thing that I could do, in comparison to the everyday struggles of multiple myeloma patients. If MM4MM is held at Mt. Fuji again, I would absolutely try my fourth climb up the mountain.

At Takeda, we aspire to cure cancer!