Thoughts from a Freshman

COLLEGE IS EXCITING. I’ve heard it said, and now I believe it. You hear stories about all the awesome and crazy things that people do in college and you can’t help but itch to go on an adventure of your own, to get out there and make a difference.  Well, I’ve found my adventure.

Mountains for Moms is not a well-known organization. The only reason I knew about it was because my sister was part of it back when it went by the name of Fistula Free Climb. When I heard her talk about how she climbed one of the highest mountains in the world, and for a good cause to boot, all I was thinking was, “will I do something that cool when I go to college?”

I’m ensuring the answer to that question is yes. If you want to get out there and make a difference, waiting around isn’t an option. That’s why I’ve joined Mountains for Moms as a freshman. For now I’m doing fundraisers, writing emails to build awareness for obstetric fistula, brainstorming ideas to get the word out about our mission, and just trying to be useful (not the easiest thing for a freshman!). But before long, I’ll be going places, literally and figuratively.

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from my few brief weeks at Cornell, it’s that the world is a huge place. There are several classes, dozens of information sessions, and hundreds of clubs that you can get involved with. Everything is thrown at you at a break-neck pace, and it’s hard to tell what’s important to you. So why did I join Mountains for Moms of all things?

THE CHALLENGE TO DO GOOD. It’s that simple. The coupling of a charity and a mountain to summit was perfect for me. There were many other things I could have signed up for, but I can’t imagine an organization that would be more rewarding. It’s tough to distinguish what you’ll want to spend time on, but this is beyond a doubt worth it. If you can’t get directly involved with the organization, read up on obstetric fistula and consider donating. Tell your friends about the condition and build awareness for a global health issue that is largely ignored.

That’s what I’m going to do. I’ve found my adventure. I’ve found my challenge. I’ve found my opportunity to do good. Maybe you’ve found something similar, or will in the future. For the sake of that thing, I’m asking you to help out with this cause, or if not this one something similar. A bunch of strangers and acquaintances talking up the cause or donating a few dollars can make all the difference in the world.

So thanks for taking the time to read this, and thanks for anything you do to help anyone out in the future. It means a lot, even if you don’t always see the effects right away.

Luke Mehringer

Climb Mountains. Save Lives.

Welcome to the official Mountains for Moms blog. We are a group of ambitious and adventurous Cornellians who believe that we can change the lives of women through our combined efforts and drive. What are we doing to prove our dedication? We are climbing 

Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Have you heard of it? It's usually referred to as the "roof of Africa" and that is where you will find us this January.

"Why are you climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro?"

Great question - we hear this a lot. We are climbing the mountain because 50,000-100,000 women are suffering right now, suffering due to a condition called obstetric fistula, and we believe that these woman can be saved. An obstetric fistula occurs in the birth canal of a woman after obstructed labor that can last over 24 hours (usually due to young pregnancies or lack to quality obstetric care). What results is a hole that leaves the woman incontinent for the rest of her life, leading to embarrassment, discomfort and social isolation from her family and village. However, with a simple surgery, the hole can be repaired, and the woman can lead a normal life. 

"So how are you actually saving their lives?"

That's where OperationOF comes in. Founded by a Cornell alum, Seth Cochran, it is a non-profit based out of London that provides these women with transportation to clinics, the surgery, rehabilitation, skills training and a small microfund to get them on their feet. OperationOF has established clinic with doctors in Malawi, Zambia, and is expanding into Madagascar. As we fundraise this fall, all proceeds will be going to OperationOF. You can find out more information on their website operationof.org.

$19,341

That's the amount of money we will be raising for these women. 

80

That's the number of women that we, a collection of completely different people from a whole myriad of places, can come together to SAVE.

98

That's the amount of days until we find ourselves in Tanzania, standing at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, ready to go. Bring it on.

Read more about us at www.strikingly.com/mountainsformomscornell or contact Kristen Barnett (kcb74@cornell.edu) with any questions.