The now annual Jen's Friends Climb Against Cancer was first held on October 17, 1998 to raise awareness and funds for Mount Washington Valley resident Jennifer (Jen) Hill, who was diagnosed with brain cancer. At that time, Jen was a graduate student and part-time employee at the National Forest Service and without health insurance.

​

Jen's brother, Doug Hill, and a core group of University of New Hampshire alumni and friends gathered to brainstorm ways to help Jen financially during her course of radiation and chemotherapy to fight her brain cancer. They decided to hold a “hike-fundraiser” at Cranmore Mountain Resort to raise money for Jen.

​

More than 300 people from throughout New England climbed Cranmore Mountain that day and raised $68,000. Unfortunately Jen was too ill to attend; however, she asked that the group distribute the money to other Mount Washington Valley cancer patients. Thus the non-profit charitable organization called Jen’s Friends Cancer Foundation was established and remains an important source of funds for cancer patients in the Mount Washington Valley in need of supplemental financial assistance and other resources in their fight against cancer.

​

Open "The Beginning of Jen’s Friends Cancer Foundation" for a more complete history of the Jen's Friends Cancer Foundation.