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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Late December is not everyone's idea of a good time to trek hundreds of kilometres to the East Arm of Great Slave Lake on foot alone, but that's just what one Yellowknifer plans to do over the Christmas holidays in a show of solidarity for people battling cancer.

Jaret Moshenko aims to show solidarity toward those fighting cancer by making a 400-km solo trek to the East Arm of Great Slave Lake and back. Here, he tries out his gear near the Yellowknife entrance to the Dettah ice road on Nov. 21. - Laura Busch/NNSL photo

Jaret Moshenko, 38, has lived in Yellowknife for most of his life. He plans to snowshoe 400 km from Yellowknife to Taltheilei Narrows and back over 11 days leading up to New Year's Eve to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society.

"It represents the side-effects that people who are going through chemo or radiation therapy may have. The side-effects may not be fun or easy but this trek is not going to be fun or easy as well," said Moshenko.

"It's a solo trek because people, when they go to treatments, they're going in alone as well. At least, by doing this trek I want them to know that there are others thinking about them, supporting them."

Cancer touches the lives of nearly every Yellowknifer, whether they face the disease themselves or watch a loved one go through treatment, said Moshenko.

His friend and fellow registered nurse Cherie Metcalfe, born Cherie Shay, died last month after a lengthy battle with breast cancer that later spread to other organs. Moshenko also has a 21-year-old cousin in Winnipeg who is waging her own fight against the disease.

"I don't know if it's my age but, as we get older, we start to see more people suffering from illnesses. And it seems to be hitting us more and more. Everybody is affected by cancer, whether it's physically - we get it ourselves - or emotionally with family and friends," he said.

Moshenko will begin his trek at the Yellowknife entrance to the Dettah ice road on Dec. 21 between 6:30 and 7 a.m. From there, he plans to walk 200 km east to Taltheilei Narrows at the eastern end of the Hearne Channel before turning back.

"It's beautiful, it's desolate, it's a challenge," Moshenko said on why he decided this route. "As I said, battling cancer is a challenge."

Moshenko opted to carry his gear in a sled that he will pull behind him called a pulk. Aside from the all-important snowshoes that will allow him to navigate through deep snow, he is keeping his gear as light as possible with a warm sleeping bag, small tent and propane stove. For food, Moshenko plans to eat high protein, high calorie snacks throughout the day while he walks and for water he is bringing a hand auger to drill holes through the ice so that he does not have to carry the added weight of liquid - which is likely to freeze quickly.

By his calculations, Moshenko will have to walk about 10 hours per day at a speed of between 3.5 and 4.5 km/h to cover a distance of 35 to 45 km every day. Four to six of those hours will be in daylight but a good portion of the trip will be done under the cover of darkness.

One item, a .22-calibre rifle given to him by a friend, gave Moshenko more pause than the others.

"I wasn't going to take any protection because it's extra weight, but with all the recent wolf sightings and in talking to friends who have had to shoot wolves on Great Slave Lake, they said, 'Don't be stupid, take a rifle,'" he said.

He also received a GPS spot tracker as a donation from Danmax Communications, which will allow those following his Facebook page Hearne Channel Trek for Hope to track his progress - not to mention the fact that it will give him access to a "panic button" should things go awry.

The only major concern that Moshenko has about this venture is whether he gets weathered in and has to camp out for a few days. He has a tight deadline, because there is a party scheduled to celebrate his success on New Year's Eve - a party he is not planning to miss.

A former classmate, Scott Ray at the Black Knight, has donated the venue, the DJ and cold plates of food for guests. Also, local artists including Nick MacIntosh, German Saravanja and Eli Nasogaluak have donated items that will be sold in a silent auction during the New Year's Eve party. This is just one of many examples of Yellowknifers who have jumped into action to show support for Moshenko's cause, he said.

Through his Facebook page, being run by ex-Yellowknifer Blaine Wasylkiw, and proceeds from the New Year's Eve party, Moshenko hopes to raise $20,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. However, this journey is about more than raising funds, he said.

"I just wanted people to have hope - to get hope from it," he said.

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