NicolaÍ mountaineering in 2018
It took Cancer to remind me to
Live Life Now!
My name is Nicolaï. Thanks to an amazing group of doctors, a successful surgery, and boundless support from friends, I’m still alive. Although I am now frequently thrown to the ground by sudden excruciating spasms of the diaphragm, I remain committed to fully enjoying every pain-free moment. It wasn’t always that way, I used to work long hours, envisioning a future that instantly vanished when they diagnosed the tumor and gave me two months left to live.
Every time I see a scene involving Cancer, I remain haunted: we are conditioned to fear illness although it is part of Life, just as is Death. Rather than fear disease, we should celebrate Life at every moment, and never forget that even breathing is not a “given right.”
We each have our own circumstances and challenges; yours may simply be to sit upright in bed, or to swallow a gulp of water, as once were mine.
If you are ill, let my story reinforce your faith in Life; if you are healthy, let it inspire you to shed the gloom around disease, accept our finality, and focus on the glory of Life. Carpe Diem!
Testimonials
“Your message is an inspiration for all of us, not just those struggling with illness. We are forgetting to Live!”
— Javier P.
Genevieve K.D.
5 weeks after chemo (2nd cancer)
“Thanks for pushing me back into the mountains. I didn’t think I’d ever return” ; 4 hours up 4000Ft to Glacier du Tour, Chamonix, France
“I am healthy and I know I work too much. Your stories are a reminder of how important it is to enjoy Life, and I am slowly working on doing just that.”
— Brett C.
“I know I’ll never be able to walk again, but reading your survival adventures helps me escape my couch. I do hope you will publish a book about your unique path.”
— Michael M.
— Robert V.W.
“Though I’ve been bedridden for two years, your writings have allowed me to enjoy life vicariously. Thank you and promise me to turn these five years into a book!”
