Peaks of Hope: Finding hope at new heights

Cancer survivors can have extraordinary adventures. That's the idea behind Peaks of Hope.

Founded by Mateo Dornier in 2020, the organization arranges mountain-climbing expeditions and other outdoor adventures for cancer survivors. Dornier created the foundation in honor of his 2 sisters who died of leukemia. The organization offers opportunities that are similar to those found in Semons l'Espoir (Sowing Hope), a foundation created by his parents in France.

In November 2023, Peaks of Hope led a group of survivors to the top of the Mount Orizaba, the highest mountain in Mexico. But the organization is about more than mountain climbing.  

Peaks of Hope helps cancer survivors forge friendships, provides emotional support, and motivates them to feel proud of what they can do. The group believes that, with the help of others, cancer survivors can overcome many challenges.

Continue reading to see how Peaks of Hope has changed the lives of three survivors of childhood cancer.

Abel Mora Arce: Amputation, depression, and decision

My name is Abel Mora Arce. I am 50 years old and a cancer survivor. At the time of writing this, I am only a few months away from my 32nd anniversary of living without my left leg.

I could tell you all the dreams, goals, and projects that I had before the surgery. They were the normal dreams of a child who, in his natural innocence and optimism, believed that health, strength, and his legs would be with him throughout his life. 

I wanted to be a soccer player. I didn't like school very much. I liked the girls a lot. I admired superheroes like El Santo or Blue Demon. I wanted to be big and tall like my father and brothers. 

I was a fighter in school, defending people I thought could not defend themselves. I was mischievous. I loved dogs, drawing, and playing soccer. I had a happy childhood.

I was the fourth of six siblings. The word "cancer" was a distant and unfamiliar word in my family. 

I remember a neighbor who was about 80 years old and got sick and died of cancer. People were talking about her and her illness as something that could not be said out loud. I remember the adults at that time lowering their voices when they said: "She has cancer." 

Everyone was sure she was going to die. This is because they had met people with the disease but did not know anyone who had survived. For me, the word cancer meant death. 
 
However, when I was 13, I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and lost my left leg to the disease at 17. The impact was huge. I found myself deeply depressed. But I did not throw in the towel. I wanted to stand on my own because I did not want to depend on anyone. The children with cancer, who I knew were having a harder time than me, inspired me. 

My greatest support came from God. It was God who gave me the inner strength to climb out of the pit of depression. I strongly believe that it is impossible to face life’s challenges without an active spiritual life. 

We cannot give up in the face of adversity. Life is a constant negotiation with hardship. In the end, I learned that this life is all we have.

Years later, I was introduced to "Peaks of Hope". It is the most transformative project I have ever known. I lost my leg at age 17. At age 50, I am sure my life would have been different if I had known about Peaks [of Hope] before. 

I am not saying that life would have been easier or more enjoyable. However, it would have changed my perspective on how to deal with adversity just as climbing a mountain changes how you see the world.   

If Peaks [of Hope] could reach more people, more places, and more countries, we would create the change that many people need. We would transform the world for the better. 

The staff at Peaks of Hope are not doctors, but they do cure the soul. Their actions for cancer survivors exhibit the essence of love, and all harvests of love will bear fruit in the harshest of realities.

Jonathan Guzman (Johny): From treatment and uncertainty to rebirth

Since I was a kid, I was very active. My family was always looking for activities so I could blow off steam. The solution was to start training in karate.

I wasn’t particularly outstanding at school, but being surrounded by people made me very happy. At the age of 8, I started to have some strange symptoms. My mother took me to the hospital and, in August 2014, I was diagnosed with end-stage non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphoma (a very large tumor on my chest). 

After years of treatment, I completed it and was discharged at around 18 years old. Back then, I asked myself: "What's next?" It was like starting my life from scratch. That is where "Peaks of Hope" enters the picture.

Thanks to them, I realized something very important: I am lucky to be here, to be alive and, most importantly, to be happy. The foundation's support helped me feel like I was not alone and made me eager to go out and, most importantly, very eager to live.  

Ximena Aranza: Recognizing my new self

Since I could remember, I have always been very active in sports. I was born and grew up in Mexico City, and my introduction to sports began with swimming, dancing, and track and field.

At 13, I discovered the sport that would change my life forever: charreada, or Mexican rodeo. I was afraid at first, but over time, I developed the skills for this traditional Mexican sport. I spent all my free time horseback riding. I did not know that, in a short time, I would have to pause my life and my sports.

At 14, I was in my second year of middle school. One day, I noticed a slight pain in my right knee. The pain got worse, and the area began to swell. The pain became more intense, and I told my parents, so we went to different doctors to identify the cause.

After several visits to different hospitals, I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the right thigh. I was treated at a public hospital in Mexico City, where I received chemotherapy for a year and a half. Finally, the doctors decided to amputate my right leg to increase my chances of surviving the cancer.  

Cancer became my life teacher. It prepared me mentally and made me ready to face the challenges of my new life. After finishing my treatment, I was facing a different reality. Everything I had learned in 15 years of my life I had to relearn in a different way. I had to recognize my new self.

Now, at 23, I am involved in Peaks of Hope, where we take cancer survivors to climb the highest mountains in Mexico, France, and Latin America. We show them that there is life after cancer. Despite the obstacles along the way, there is always the possibility to do great things. This helps us regain our social and emotional independence.

We want to give hope to those who are about to face — or are already facing ——this disease. We want to help their families. We want to convey our message to those who need it. 
 
Life has always been good to me. I no longer ride in formal charreadas. However, I had the opportunity to discover myself in other sports, such as mountain climbing, with the help of Peaks of Hope.  

I have climbed to the top of Mexico's highest mountain (Mount Orizaba), of Vincent Pyramid in the Italian Alps, and of Huayna Potosí in Bolivia, over 6,000 meters above sea level. 

I was a pioneer in reaching the top of those mountains with a single leg and walking sticks. 

What you dream, you can create.