Nick Ribbe

Climbing for Rare and Less Common Cancers

Hi, I’m Nick. 👋

I’m not a professional climber, an ultra-athlete, or someone who ever imagined writing a post like this. I just happen to be living with a rare cancer called Fibrolamellar Carcinoma.

Cancer has a funny way of shrinking your world at first — appointments, scans, waiting rooms — and then, slowly, if you let it, expanding it again. It teaches you what matters. People. Time. Purpose. Gratitude for the ordinary days we usually rush past.

This year, I’m climbing Mount Kosciuszko with my biggest supporter, Victoria. It’s not because it’s the tallest mountain in the world (it definitely isn’t), but because for me it represents something bigger: forward movement. One step at a time. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

I’m doing this to support others living with rare and less common cancers — people who often feel unseen, under-researched, and under-supported, yet show up every day with quiet courage. I know firsthand how much organisations like Rare Cancers Australia matter, and how powerful it is to know you’re not walking your path alone.

If you’re able to donate, amazing — every contribution genuinely helps. If you can’t, that’s okay too. Sharing this, cheering from the sidelines, or simply learning a bit more about rare and less common cancers means more than you might think.

P.S RCA is a Federal Government-classified Health Promotion Charity. All donations are fully tax deductible.