CLEVELAND (WJW) – It’s not your typical hobby for a doctor, but Cleveland Clinic urologist Dr. Christopher Weight has a passion for mountain climbing.
“I think it’s the bigness of it,” he said. “You seem so small, and you get into these beautiful experiences.”
For Weight, those experiences parallel the journey of a cancer patient—full of challenges, pain and perseverance, but ultimately offering new perspectives.
This past spring, he hiked to the 20,000-foot summit of Lobuche Peak in Nepal, carrying a photo of one of his patients with him as inspiration.
“Step after step—it’s painful,” he said. “I found it valuable to think about my patients and their journeys.”
One of those patients is Denise Szalkowski of Fredonia, New York.
Diagnosed with kidney cancer at 57, she traveled to Cleveland in December after Weight offered her a less-invasive robotic surgery.
“Prior to meeting Dr. Weight, all of the surgeons wanted to do open flank surgery, which could lead to more complications,” she said. “When he offered me robotic surgery, I was thrilled.”
Weight successfully performed her procedure, and this weekend, he and Denise will reunite at the Wolstein Center for a kidney cancer awareness event.
The event supports Climb 4 Kidney Cancer, a nonprofit that Weight founded to celebrate and empower those affected by the disease.
“They have been dealt this hand, and they are going forward,” he said. “That bravery and courage inspire me to keep on going.”
Find information on the event here.
Melissa Reid
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