Let the Countdown Begin!
October 8 – 17, 2008
Dallas, Texas – September 19, 2008 – Dallas-based James Chippendale, co-founder of Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHSF), is counting the days until he starts counting the steps to Machu Picchu in Peru. LHSF will host PERU ROCKS!, a monumental journey and benefit with approximately 100 cancer survivors, musicians, mountaineers and supporters to, once again, celebrate their “Climb Back From Cancer™”. Musicians making the trek include The Fixx, Nick Harper, LHSF co-founder Mike Peters of The Alarm and Texas-based Fastball.
The event, October 8 – 17, raises awareness and funds for LHSF, an international charity with the goal of providing all cancer patients with impartial opportunities, such as access to information, quality cancer treatment and the best medication available. Through innovative concerts and climbs, LHSF provides critical funding for cancer centers worldwide so that ALL people have access to quality treatment and are given the best chance at survival.
The 10-day trip starts and finishes in the Peruvian capital, Lima, and includes a trek from Mollepata following an ancient and remote Inca footpath through the high mountains of the Cordillera Vilcanota to the lost Inca city of Llactapata, amongst many other towns, villages and sights. A concert will take place at Machu Picchu at the city of Cusco, situated at 11,150 feet, in the foothills of the Andes. In addition, a grand finale concert will be held in Lima.
PERU ROCKS!, produced by LHSF, raises awareness and much-needed funding for the cancer centers in Peru. LHSF is founded by Dallas-based cancer survivor James Chippendale, president of CSI Entertainment, one of the country’s largest entertainment and sports insurance brokers, and two-time cancer survivor and rock icon, Mike Peters of the UK band “The Alarm.” Through innovative concerts and climbs, LHSF, with chapters in the US, UK, Australia, and South America, provides critical funding for cancer centers worldwide so that ALL people have access to quality treatment and are given the best chance at survival. Founded in 2006, LHSF has already raised approximately $1 million.
Last year, LHSF launched their first climb and concert at the top of the Empire State Building. Following in October 2007, 35 musicians, mountaineers, cancer survivors, and LHSF supporters departed from Kathmandu for a monumental 14 day trek to Base Camp of Mount Everest for an acoustic concert known as EVEREST ROCKS!. Peters, Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom, UK folk artist Nick Harper, Cy Currin, Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze and acclaimed MTV producer Alex Coletti are just a few of the music luminaries who conquered Everest Rocks. Coletti documented the Everest Rocks event which airs on Palladia (MTV Hi-Definition Television) on Sunday evenings. The event also included a historic concert in the 1,000 year old Durbar Square in Kathmandu, Nepal, where the all-star band was the first ever western rock group to perform in the world heritage site. The event drew crowds of over 15,000 people and was broadcast live on Nepal TV to an audience of over 4,000,000. The event rose over $500,000 for the LHSF programs in Nepal including The Baktapour Cancer Center and Kanti Childrens Cancer Center in Kathmandu.
Watch EVEREST ROCKS! documentary, filmed by acclaimed MTV producer Alex Coletti, on Sundays at 10pm EST on Palladia, MTV Networks’ high-definition music network.
For more information about Peru Rocks and Love Hope Strength Foundation, please visit http://www.lovehopestrength.org/ or call 303.518.8938.
