
Several days of hiking Peru with a group of rock musicians, who at times will play acoustic concerts, sounds like a sweepstakes giveaway by MTV. But this is how famous people with a fondness for flair fight cancer.
Today is the official kick-off of Peru Rocks, a publicity-friendly effort to raise money and awareness in the cancer fight. The event, which can be tracked online here, was organized by the Love Hope Strength Foundation. The foundation is an international nonprofit founded by leukemia survivors Mike Peters of the Welsh rock band the Alarm and James Chippendale, president of CSI Entertainment.
On the trip will be Meghan S. Buchanan, who spent much of her childhood in Woodland Park and now lives in Denver. She is traveling with the group as a show of support after her father died of cancer. There are 17 Coloradans on the trek, according to the group’s Web site, clickhere.
They are among about 65 people who plan to make the four-day trek along the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu, the famous ruins high in the Andes. The theme of the trip is “Climb Back from Cancer.” Efforts will focus on improving cancer care in Peru, specifically acquiring medical equipment for Inen, the main cancer center there, and opening a Love Hope Strength chapter to educate Peruvians about issues such as early detection.
Musicians from Fastball, The Stray Cats, and The Fixx will be among those on the hike, which will be filmed as a documentary.
The group previously held a concert at the base of Mt. Everest.