Beth Leleck has climbed every one of the “14ers” in Colorado – those are mountains with elevations of at least 14-thousand feet. There are 58 of them.
She accomplished the remarkable feat despite an underlying challenge. At 14 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Early on she was told she might very well need “mobility assistance” within ten years if the disease took hold. That got her thinking hard about ways to stay active and as healthy as possible.
When a friend asked Beth if she’d like to “go hike a mountain,” she replied, “sure.” They climbed Mount Bierstadt, elevation 14,065 feet. Before too long she made plans to hike another one. This year Beth hiked her final 14er – Mount Evans – on June 29th.
Multiple sclerosis can present a wide variety of symptoms including numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, loss of feeling, loss of eyesight, loss of hearing, cognitive challenges – some come and go. For Beth, the first sign of multiple sclerosis was one morning she woke up and couldn’t hear out of her right ear.
Beth is a hiker, a fighter, and an encourager. She said, “I’ve had the opportunity over time to talk to others who have been newly diagnosed. That’s probably the most terrifying moment because there’s just so much uncertainty – you don’t really necessarily know what you’re facing.”
Beth helps someone who’s newly diagnosed find hope for themselves.