BOULDER, Colo. — Of all the hikes Sarah Bailey and her 7-year-old daughter Bellamy have gone on, the trek up Mount Sanitas trail might be their favorite one yet.
“We are here today for Bellamy's 99th hike,” said Bailey.
It’s a big milestone for Bellamy. Back when we first met her in 2023, the little adventurer had set her sights on completing 100 hikes as she began her battle with childhood cancer at just 5 years old.
The family was skiing when Bailey noticed Bellamy had swollen lymph nodes. At first, she didn't think anything of it, but then the nodes kept growing. Her pediatrician ordered tests, which confirmed that Bellamy had leukemia.
Mountains
5-year-old battling cancer sets goal of doing 100 hikes before treatment ends
Bailey recalls the first few hikes and how far Bellamy has come.
“I felt like she was a newborn baby, and I was going to break her, and quickly I realized that that was not the case, and how strong she really was up here. It's just so inspiring to see her evolution throughout these hikes,” she said.
Through the journey's ups and downs—both on and off the mountain—the mother and daughter both found healing.
“She is incredibly strong today, and it's a testament to her ability to advocate for herself, to get out, to want to hike, to push through difficult things, including cancer neuropathy. And she's just so strong standing here today on hike 99,” said Bailey.
Saturday, a much taller and stronger Bellamy sprinted up the trail, holding her best friend’s hands and dozens of family, friends, and community members who had cheered her on through her journey. It was an unforgettable 99th hike to prepare for the big 100 on Sunday.
“We are going to do a hike 100, just the two of us, at the hike we did for our very first hike. [Sunday] also happens to be Mother's Day, and it also happens to be her very last dose of oral chemo and day in active treatment. So it's a really big day,” said Bailey.
As this part of Bellamy’s journey comes to an end, her family wants to pay it forward.
Through a partnership with the Be Like Ellie Foundation, Bellamy’s family plans to donate 100 park passes to families also dealing with childhood cancer in the hopes of spreading a little sunshine and a whole lot of hope.
“We are so grateful for the gift of nature and exercise and all it has given us on this journey, and we'd love to just remove the financial barrier, give people a little extra push to get out and enjoy nature,” said Bailey. “It was never, ever about a certain distance, or, you know, a climb, if we didn't finish a hike as planned, it never really mattered. It was just about getting outside into nature—sun on our face, movement and being together. That was really the goal all along.”
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