The Prohaska Family

It's time to come together to support Rich Prohaska and his family.

On April 30, 2019 Rich was given the diagnoses of stage 4 colon cancer. The oncologist gave him "weeks to months" to live. As a family, the Prohaska's took Rich's cancer on with a vengeance and were able to put it in to remission for a time. They embarked on a journey that included traditional as well as costly holistic treatments. Healing has been Rich's full time job for 4 years. Countless trips to have been made to Vancouver and Fort Langley for chemotherapy, radiation, hyperthermia treatments, mistletoe injections, and vitamin C iV's. Rich is a man of faith and has also put a lot of the healing in the powers of God.

A couple of weeks ago Rich suffered numerous seizures and the tumours have grown, causing excruciating pain. On September 23 Rich moved to the Squamish Hospice Centre. He is comfortable there as the pain medications are helping and apparently the food is great! Heather has moved into the room with him, taking leave from her job at Signal Hill Elementary. Anna is there daily, working as Rich's PA and staying near by and Naomi is up on weekends from her studies at UBC in Vancouver.

Rich is the loving father to Naomi and Anna and the devoted husband to Heather. Hailing from Kingston Ontario, he's found his passion in the mountains. He became an ACMG/IFMGA mountain guide and pursued a winter career as a heli-ski guide at Coast Range, Tyax Lodge, Bella Coola and Whistler Heli-ski operations. Forever smiling, Rich has a way of making people feel safe while having a ton of fun. In the offseason, Rich has kept himself busy with his Ironworks business, welding everything from coat hooks to large staircases.

Rich has had a prolific and colourful skiing, mountaineering and climbing career. He loves pursuing unclimbed objectives. He made 14 trips to the St. Elias Range, Yukon and summited Mt Logan 8 times, which I believe is the record and is known as MR LOGAN in the mountaineering world. In 2017 he guided Naomi to the top making her the youngest person, at 15, to summit Canada's highest peak. He and his climbing partner Jia did the first assent of Mount Atlantic. This was a 45 day, 500km unsupported/no airdrop journey to the peak. He also did first assents in China, Baffin Island, Greenland and Antarctica. In the pursuit of these ascents Rich visited each continent except Australia. This man is a machine! One of the strongest men I know.

Rich has outlived his life expectancy, but over the past 4.5 years, the family's finances have been exhausted. Rich and the family have accepted the love and support of friends through these years and are very thankful for the community surrounding them. They would like to show gratitude towards the people who have supported them in various ways whether it be food drop offs, financial support, firewood, gas cards, grocery cards, or a drive to the city. The firewood is stacked for the winter and it is now time for your financial support through a GoFundMe Page.

Because the family is without income, I am reaching out for your help during this time. Big or small, your donation will help ease the financial burden on this amazing family.

As a friend of the family I will be managing the GoFundMe and all of the proceeds will be directly deposited into the Prohaska’s bank account.

On behalf of the family, I thank you for your love and support.