Fighting Cancer, Going to the Top of the World
Muhamad Gunawan
Being told by doctors that he had nasopharyngeal cancer in November 2015 was not the end of the world for Muhamad Gunawan. Instead, he persisted to fight the disease. The 59-year-old is working hard to achieve his lifelong dream: to climb Mt. Everest, the highest point on the Earth.
Ogun, as he is known among friends, was wearing a grey-and-red shirt with the words “Ogun Roads to Everest” that afternoon. He was just finishing his speed-walking exercise. “I am not yet brave enough to force myself and do a running exercise. I’m afraid I’ll sprain my muscles,” said Ogun at the Soemantri Brodjonegoro sports hall in Kuningan, Jakarta, on Wednesday afternoon.
Ogun had recently returned to Indonesia from training at Yala Peak in Langtang, Nepal. The Yala peak climbing was part of his training program ahead of his Everest expedition that he plans to on April-May 2018. The 8,848-meter Mt. Everest is also located in Nepal.
Ogun does his training in stages as he has yet to heal completely from recent cancer treatment. However, reflecting on his experience in climbing Yala peak, he is optimistic that he could realize his Everest expedition plans. “When I was climbing Yala, I felt refreshed. My heartbeat and oxygen saturation was good. I was walking a little slow but I never stopped,” he said.
Shocked
Ogun did not expect it when doctors told him that he had nasopharyngeal cancer. At first, he was having difficulties sleeping due to a bump at the back of his head as if he had been hit by a blunt object. After a few months, the bump became more severe and it hurt. Ogun’s hearing was affected and his voice became hoarse.
In November 2015, Ogun went to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Kencana Hospital (RSCM Kencana) in Jakarta. He was urged to undergo a biopsy, in which doctors would take a sample of his cells, but he refused.
A few days later, Ogun departed to Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, to attend an event. When he arrived in the city, his vision became blurry. He returned to Jakarta to have his eyes checked. Doctors said it might have been related to the bump and hearing loss.
After consulting with a friend who was also a medical practitioner, Ogun underwent a CT scan and a series of other checkups at RSCM Kencana. This time, he agreed to a biopsy.
The results came out the next week. Ogun’s wife Cecilia Yashita, or Vita, read the results slowly. Ogun was said to have stage 4 nasopharyngeal cancer. He was shocked.
Throughout his life, he had never been as shocked as he was that day. He cried thinking about what the consequences. He thought he would not be able to see his younger daughter, a then junior high school student, graduate from college. Vita convinced her husband to embrace the new reality and keep his chin up. Ogun agreed, even though he realized that life would be harder from then on.
The doctor told him to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He went to the hospital numerous times for inpatient treatments. Days became difficult to go through. Swallowing meals became a huge effort as the aroma of food alone would make him nauseous and want to throw up. However, he stayed positive.
Ogun refused to just give up. He fought his cancer, the tale of which has been made into a book titled Ogun, Cancer Survivor Menggapai Puncak Dunia (Ogun, Cancer Survivor Reaching the Top of the World) written by Zhibril A.
Everest dreams
In mid-2016, Ogun slowly got better. He underwent his last chemotherapy treatment on July 27, 2016. One particular dream of reaching the top of the world motivated him to attain full health recovery.
All throughout his treatment at the hospital, the dream to climb Everest was on his mind. He missed everything about Everest – the cool air, the low temperature, the snow, the rocks and cliffs and the welcoming smiles of the Himalayan Sherpas.
Mountain climbing is not a new thing for Ogun. He has been a member of the Wanadri association of jungle trekkers and mountaineers since 1981.
Ogun has several times climbed the 4,884-meter Carstensz Pyramid in Papua, which is Indonesia’s highest peak and one of the seven highest peaks on seven continents. In 2010, he accompanied Wanadri’s Seven World Summits Expedition in reaching the Papuan peak.
Ogun’s desire to reach the top of world is inseparable from his memories of the 1997 Indonesian Mt. Everest Expedition. Together with the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) soldiers and several other Indonesian climbers, he was part of the expedition. At the time, Ogun’s effort to reach the Everest summit from the north (Tibet) failed just 200 meters away from the peak.
Ogun and his team returned to camp 5 and the Advance Base Camp for recovery. However, before Ogun and his team could continue their journey to the top, they were told to stop the expedition and return to Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.
The other Indonesian team that climbed from the south arrived back in Kathmandu after one of its hikers reached the Everest peak. Ogun was disappointed. Since then, the dream of one day returning to Everest has been growing.
Sagarmatha, the local language for Everest, is the ultimate dream for many hikers all over the world. Only a handful of Indonesians have ever reached its peak. Other than Kopassus soldier Master Sgt. Asmujiono in 1997, there were also a hiker from the Parahyangan Catholic University in 2011 and four Wanadri climbers in 2012-2013.
Now, Ogun has seemingly found the momentum to make his dream come true. Twenty years after the Everest expedition with Kopassus, he and his supporters tried to build up their spirit by using the “Ogun Roads to Everest” or ORTE slogan.
Before climbing the world’s peak, Ogun tried to hike several other of the world’s highest points. After Yala, Ogun will climb Baruntse peak (7,129 meters) and Mera peak (6,476 meters) in Nepal along with the Carstensz Pyramid. The series of expedition needs a hefty budget. “Probably it’s around Rp 2 billion [US$150,421],” he said.
Together with his family and friends, Ogun formed a fund-raising team that sought sponsors, sold souvenirs and held charity concerts. The team is known in the social media through the Instagram account @ogun_climb_fightingcancer and Facebook account Muhamad Gunawan.
Life is not always smooth, as Ogun experienced through his nasopharyngeal cancer. By climbing Mt. Everest with cancer in him, he hopes to inspire other people with cancer. He tried to convey the message: life is worth fighting for!
