And then suddenly you're the honored guest!
Last weekend, we as a family had the honor of being special guests at the Power Event in Valkenswaard: 24 hours of walking together against cancer. It was a weekend full of unique encounters, impressive stories, and beautiful conversations. A weekend that not only brought me back to where Seven Summits for Life originally started, but also made me realize once again why I do what I do.
Those who know me understand that I can fully commit to something. If I believe in something, I will do everything I can to make it a reality. That is the mentality I have increasingly been describing in recent years as the PUT IT ON mentality. It is the conviction that you should not wait for the perfect moment, but that you take responsibility for what is important to you. That you keep investing in yourself, in others, and in your goals, even when the path is tough and the outcome is still uncertain.
This mentality has helped me during my recovery from cancer. This mentality has given birth to Seven Summits for Life. And that same mentality motivates me today to wholeheartedly commit to vitality and preventive health.
When I was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma cancer in 2021, my life changed overnight. Suddenly, it became clear that health is not a given. You start to see time, priorities, and the people around you differently. You realize that many things we worry about daily are ultimately of secondary importance when your health is under pressure.
It was precisely during that period that I discovered how important it is to not only invest in recovery but also in prevention. Of course, you cannot prevent everything. I also got cancer while thinking I was living healthily. But I have experienced how much of a difference it makes when you consciously pay attention to exercise, nutrition, sleep, recovery, mental resilience, and connection with the people around you.
Preventive health for me is not about fear of illness. It is about love for life. It is about making choices that contribute to the quality of the time you have. It is about taking responsibility for yourself, so you can be there for the people you care about.
As I looked at my family this weekend, I realized again how valuable those choices have been. Not because we do everything perfectly, but because we have consciously learned to give health and vitality an important place in our lives. This has helped us to get through difficult times together and has contributed to our ability to enjoy moments like this today.
Amid all the encounters, conversations, and special moments, I felt once again the connection with Tanja, Sem, and Linn. Over the past four years, Seven Summits for Life has taken on a huge role in our lives. There have been trainings, events, actions, interviews, climbs, and thousands of hours dedicated to this mission. But this weekend reminded me that no mountain is more important than the people you climb it with.
For a moment, I was not the initiator of My Seven Summits for Life. For a moment, I was not a speaker, not a fundraiser, and not a runner on a mission. I was mostly a grateful husband and proud father who got to enjoy an event that was all about connection with my family.
This weekend has shown me again that together we are stronger than alone. It has confirmed to me why I continue to commit to vitality, preventive health, and awareness. Not because health can be guaranteed but because every person deserves to be the best possible version of themselves.
Together against cancer, for vitality.
Together for prevention and for life.
Together for control over employability!
Because in the end, the value of a life is not determined by how many peaks you reach but by how many people you know how to touch, connect with, and take along on the climb.
Paul, Tanja, Sem, and Linn
Thank you all.
We enjoyed it. Together.
