Prostate survivors have lofty goals By John Loesing Acorn Staff Writer

Hap Weyman lost his fight against prostate cancer in 1990. His son, Terry Weyman, plans to climb his own mountain to call attention to the disease and its need for early detection and treatment.

Weyman, a 35-year-old sports chiropractor in Westlake Village, will lead a January expedition called the Prostate Cancer Climb, a trip to the Andes Mountains to raise money and awareness in the fight against prostate cancer.

Twenty climbers will scale Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, a 22,840-foot peak that's said to be the highest non-technical climb in the world. Aconcagua is the tallest peak in the Western Hemisphere.

The group's goal is to raise $1 million for prostate cancer research and education, and another $300,000 to pay for expedition costs.

Weyman got the idea for the climb after seeing a TV show about a group of women who ascended Aconcagua in 1995 to fight breast cancer.

Mourning the loss of his father, Weyman thought similar attention should be given to prostate cancer, a common killer of men.

"I thought, men do not get together for something like this," Weyman said. "I see all of our sisters do all this great work and I thought why aren't our brothers doing it?"

Weyman's father began complaining of lower back pain in the late 1980s, but when doctors took a bone scan they found his prostate cancer had spread to other organs and become terminal.

"The next two years were hell for both my dad and my family," Weyman said.

"We had our ups and downs, but to see the man you most admire shrink before your eyes was at times more than we could handle ... I learned, listened and cried."

Agoura Hills resident Bob Each has his own hill to climb.

The 56-year-old was told in 1995 his prostate cancer had metasticized to his bones and that he didn't have long to live. But aggressive treatment produced a turnaround in Each's health, enough to let him to take part in the upcoming Prostate Cancer Climb.

"I consider myself very fortunate," said Each, who treks the local Santa Monica Mountains several times a week to get ready for the trip.

"The training is very difficult for me because of the drugs I'm on. They block hormones and I've lost a lot of my muscle mass."

Each is the only member of the summit team with cancer, but others on the trek or support team have been affected by the disease. Trekkers Jim Cozad of Thousand Oaks, and Harry Pinchot, a former Westlake Village resident, are prostate cancer survivors.

"My goal is simply to climb this mountain to show all the men dealing with this disease that they can overcome the debilitating effects of the therapies to their minds and bodies," Each said.

"If I can climb this mountain, every man who deals with one or more side effects from this disease can ignore those side effects and get on with his life."

The trekkers will remain at a 14,000-foot base camp while the climbers make their ascent. The many miles of hiking could take up to three weeks.

Though the men are amateurs at mountaineering, Weyman has prepared himself by climbing Mount Whitney in California and Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

A professional guide team will handle safety and logistical matters on the Aconcagua climb. Weyman said much of the equipment for the trip has been donated by sponsors.

All that's left are the final stage preparations.

"We all want to see an end to this disease," Weyman said. "It's time we stand up and join together and fight for something worth fighting for."

John Loesing, the author of this story, is participating on the Prostate Cancer Climb as a member of the trekking group. Loesing's father had prostate cancer when he died in 1998. To help Loesing raise his share of money for the trip, please visit on computer via the Internet www.prostatecancerclimb.com and click on the sponsorship link.