A St. Luke’s University Health Network physician is preparing to undertake a 55-mile trek through the mountains of Peru this summer to raise awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research and patient support.
Dr. Rick Boulay, a gynecologic oncology surgeon at St. Luke’s, will join 20 members of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition in July for a 10-day hike along Peru’s Ausangate trail to Machu Picchu.
The challenging route spans mountains, forests, glaciers and remote terrain, reaching elevations of approximately 17,000 feet before descending toward Machu Picchu.
Boulay, who has spent more than 25 years treating women with ovarian cancer, said he is dedicating the journey to both survivors and patients who lost their battles with the disease.
About 25,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the United States, and the disease has an overall five-year survival rate of about 50%.
The trek also holds personal significance for Boulay. Two years ago, he underwent treatment for prostate cancer at St. Luke’s and is now cancer-free.
“This is my year of saying yes to everything I might have declined in the past,” he explains.
In preparation for the demanding hike, Boulay has been training at the St. Luke’s Fitness & Sports Performance Center under the guidance of an exercise specialist, focusing on endurance, strength, flexibility and weight loss.
“I’ve never been a ‘gym guy,’ but I’m really enjoying this and feel myself getting into better shape for the trip,” he says.
Boulay was invited to participate by one of the first ovarian cancer patients he treated early in his career. The patient survived her diagnosis and later gave birth to a son who is now 23 years old.
The physician will travel from his home in Allentown to Cusco, Peru, where he and fellow hikers will acclimate to the altitude before beginning the climb. Along the route, participants are expected to face snow, ice and freezing temperatures at higher elevations and insects at lower altitudes.
An accomplished vocalist who has performed throughout the Lehigh Valley, Boulay joked that singing during the trek may not be possible.
“I’ll be happy to be able to breathe at the higher altitudes,” he says.
Despite the physical demands and time away from family and work, Boulay said he is looking forward to the experience.
“I’m not nervous at all,” he says.
The trip reflects a perspective shaped by years of caring for cancer patients and his own experience with the disease.
“Every day is important,” he says. “We aren’t guaranteed many years here, and I want to live each one.”
Donations supporting the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition through Boulay’s fundraising effort can be made through the organization’s campaign website.
