Carlsbad Resident Climbing Mt. Everest to Help Parkinson's Patients

Carlsbad resident, Jeffrey Seckendorf will begin a 3-week fundraising trek to Nepal’s south base camp of Mt. Everest October 9th with 10 others, leaving from San Diego.

While the trek itself is focused on self-empowerment it is also aimed to bring essential funding and awareness to cutting-edge research that may lead to a viable long-term treatment for those afflicted with Parkinson’s disease using stem cells created from a patient’s own skin. Two local doctors are masterminds of this breakthrough research: Dr Jeanne Loring, Director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute and Dr. Melissa Houser, neurologist and Director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Scripps Clinic.

The hikers will pay their own expenses that add up to about $6000. Summit4StemCell is also seeking donations, large and small, at: www.summit4stemcell.org. All of the money raised will be used for this research as a long-term treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

All fundraising is tax deductible and done through a partnership with the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego. Inspired by a future free from the degenerative effects of the disease, the team is determined to raise $3 million dollars to fund this ground-breaking study to treat, and possibly conquer, Parkinson’s disease.

People who have Parkinson’s disease or are connected to someone who does, are invited to participate in the Everest Base Camp Trek. For questions about qualifying for the trek, please e-mail Sherrie Gould at summit4stemcell@gmail.com with your questions.

Ground costs are about $4,100 and airfare is another $2,000.

–Summit4StemCell Press Release