Philadelphia Police Lieutenant Taking On Mount Kilimanjaro To Raise Money For Cancer Patients
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia lieutenant beat cancer and is now taking on Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money to help other patients. Philadelphia Police Lt. Jennifer Vrana is Philly made through and through.
Vrana says when doctors in Maryland told her she wouldn't survive, she fired them and came home to the people she loved and the doctors she trusted.
Vrana is taking her last training hike through Wissahickon Valley Park before heading to Africa to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
"It's literally a hike in a park. There's no technicality behind it, but it's an eight-day hike and you're going up to 19,000 feet," Vrana said.
That sense of adventure is in her blood, including being on the rodeo circuit and a Philadelphia police lieutenant in the 5th District.
An accomplishment that wasn't expected was surviving a fatal diagnosis -- Stage 4 Hodgkin's disease.
"I'm a true believer in mind over matter. So having a positive outlook from the doctors gave me a positive outlook and I just kept going and going," Vrana said.
Now 17 years after the stem cell transplant at Penn that saved her life, Vrana will be summiting Kilimanjaro on that fateful anniversary.
"For me in particular, it's for people to see a diagnosis is just a diagnosis. It's up to you what you do with it," Vrana said. "I'm choosing to go out there and move and no matter how bad their diagnosis is, they can live life on their terms."
Vrana is a role model for survival and giving back. She'll be part of a climbing team to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a dollar for each step aiming to raise $19,341 -- which is the height of the famed mountain.
"I don't know of a person alive whose life hasn't been touched by cancer in some way, shape or form," Vrana said. "Finding a cure is in my blood."
Vrana, who's been training with big hikes and runs, says the biggest challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro will be the altitude and camping in a tent -- that's something she hasn't done before. But remember, Vrana beat cancer so she's not too worried about that.
Vrana leaves for Africa on Thursday night.
