Dr. Larry Daugherty and his son, Calvin, make it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro

The Iditarod may be over, but for mushers like Dr. Larry Daugherty, the desire to inspire others continues.  I had the great pleasure of getting to know Larry and his family during his rookie year in the 2016 Iditarod, and I was thrilled to watch him cross the finish line in Nome with his wonderful family there to cheer him on.  Larry and his family are what we call, “good people.”  He is a cancer doctor by trade, and sits on the Board of Directors for Radiating Hope, a non-profit that supports radiation treatment for cancer patients in Africa.

Larry, his wife, Prairie, and the Daugherty kids: Charlie, Conrad, Azalea, Calvin, and Bailey

Taking a step back for a moment, I remember watching Larry coming under the arch in Nome and we could all see what that accomplishment meant to him personally.  It was quite an emotional experience for all of us.  

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We all had a good laugh when, Prairie, had a camera malfunction with the cold and, so I happily took some photos of the special moment for them.

I remember at one point Larry brought out some special flags, and I didn’t quite realize the significance of that moment until this last week.  He was sharing a new goal with the world, one that would also be challenging for himself physically and emotionally.  

Larry under the arch in Nome

Larry and his son, Calvin, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for the special needs of cancer patients in Africa and help bring life-saving radiation equipment to those in need.  Here is video of Larry and his son making the final trek, after 7 grueling days, to the top!

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I can’t imagine the life lessons that Larry’s son will carry with him for the rest of his life from this experience.  I was inspired by his story, and Larry is another example of how the Iditarod brings such amazing people together, from all walks of life, with powerful stories to share with us all. 

Larry and Calvin in Africa before making their way to the top!

I remember in Anchorage, the day before the race, Larry signed a ceremonial sled at the musher meeting, and I happened to be there to see it.  I wondered what he wrote, so I took a closer look:

Famous last words!

I know Larry will continue to inspire us all with his good work in his community, and with the global outreach of Radiating Hope.  Best of luck Larry!

Radiating Hope Information

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