Interview - Peter Johnston

Why are you climbing Kilimanjaro?

I have an English Literature degree and studied Hemingway. I was facinated his story “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”. In 1997, I lost my Mom, Neola, to ovarian cancer and in 2005, I lost a close uncle, Ernie, to pancreatic cancer. I saw Ben’s presentation last fall at Ashbury and was incredibly impressed with the fortitude of the breast cancer survivors. One survivor said that in reaching the summit, she felt that she could beat anything including cancer. I want to reach the summit to symbolically overcome the losses to cancer in my life.

What are your personal goals related to the climb?

I want to reach the summit in memory of my Mom and my Uncle Ernie.

What’s the funniest/strangest thing that’s ever happened to you?

As a young boy, I mimicked many television stars. One program, “Ripcord” was a show about paramedics that parachuted into dangerous situations to rescue people. I decided to build my own parachute out of my Grandmother’s bedsheets and jump from the peak of the roof. Unfortunately, the bedsheets did not deploy properly and the only thing that saved me was a forward roll on impact with the ground. Over the next few months, I experienced pain in my hips. My parents took me to the doctor and I was diagnosed with a rare bone disease that caused deterioration of the skeleton. My legs were immobilized in casts for a year and I made a miraculous recovery. In my forties, my Mom commented that I had done well in life for a boy who was not expected live. When I confessed the reason for my “rare bone disease”, she went looking for a switch!

Tell us about an accomplishment that you’re proud of.

I have a beautiful life partner and two wonderful children.

Is there something significant in your life that you’ve overcome?

Dealing with the loss of people close to me due to cancer.

Anecdote:

When I went to get our shots for the trip, my doctor asked where we were going. He surprised to know that we were going to Tanzania as he was born in Aga Khan Hospital on Ocean Road Upanga East in Dar Es Salaam. He immigrated to North America at the age of 3 and has been back on a number of occasions to Arusha, Tanga and the Ngorogoro Park as his parents were born and educated there.

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