Local woman who lost father to cancer will climb Mt. Fuji to raise money for research

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago woman is embarking on the journey of a lifetime with a mission of helping others.

Jean Wescher is no stranger to challenges. Three years ago, Wescher's father lost his battle with multiple myeloma, a blood cell cancer. In his honor, Wescher is racing to raise $10,000 for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation to find a cure and help other families dealing with the deadly disease.

"When he passed away, it was hard to imagine raising money for the MMRF...but at the same time I keep thinking about all these other families that are going through this that I could help one day," she said.

The trip she's training to tackle is taking her to new heights, and it all started with a scroll through Facebook.

"I had seen the group that climbed Kilimanjaro, they were looking for people interested in climbing Mount Fuji," she said.

In June, Wescher joined about a dozen others on her team for a practice climb in New Hampshire. The practice was tough, but nothing compared to the 12,000 foot high peak the group will face in Japan.

Until her trip there, Wescher will be on the stair master at the gym and training on the track.

To learn more about the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, and the Mount Fuji trip, click here.