Some 200 Japanese and American cancer patients, backed by as many relatives and volunteers, reached the top of Mount Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan, on the early morning of August 22.

The feat was achieved after two years of meticulous preparation. The Breast Cancer Fund, an American charity, had suggested the brave expedition as a way to inspire the fighting spirit needed to overcome the disease.

Responding to the call from the other side of the Pacific, 15 groups of cancer patients across Japan got together to form a committee to ensure the expedition was successful.

About 50 American and 150 Japanese patients expressed the wish to scale the 3,776-meter mountain. But the participation of family members and supporters, including over 70 volunteer doctors and nurses, took the number of people in the climbing party to some 500.

With the approval of their doctors, Japanese patients trained together every month, climbing various lower mountains under the guidance of trained mountaineers while fighting anxieties over possible relapse or declining physical strength. Each participant walked at least 10,000 steps every day as part of the training program.

Cathy Masamitsu, 47, a third-generation Japanese American from California, had an operation to remove a tumor at the age of 32, but had a recurrence when she was 36. "I came back from despair twice. The positive attitude toward life is the key to overcoming cancer. 'Never give up' is the message I wanted to convey to Japanese patients," she said.

Michiko Nakamura, 67, leader of a patients' group in Yokohama, agreed with Masamitsu. She was diagnosed as having cancer in 1976 and had an operation on her breast. The cancer was found to have spread soon afterwards but was gone eight years later. "The best way to fight cancer is not to worry too much about tomorrow, have a clear goal and enjoy today," she stressed.

The youngest participant, 9-year-old Masuyoshi Machiyama, has cancer and is blind. He bravely overcame these hurdles and showed the joy of conquering Mount Fuji by holding fast to a torii (shrine gateway) that stands at the top of the mountain.

Jiro Itami, a doctor in Kurashiki, western Japan, and one of the climb's main organizers, believes having something to live for help patients fight cancer. "It doesn't have to be mountain climbing. Finding something to devote themselves to helps raise cancer patients' immunity and their ability to overcome the disease," he said.

Photos (top): Participants pose for a commemorative photo at the summit of Mount Fuji. (Soleil) (above) Everyone trained hard for this special day.