Fight for Air Climb Gives New Purpose to Michigan Resident

DETROIT, MI (02/09/2017) (readMedia)-- The American Lung Association in Michigan, in partnership with the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, will hold a fundraising stair climb event Sunday, February 26th with proceeds helping to fight lung-related illnesses.

This year, we're expecting more than 1,500 participants to take on the challenge. During the event, teams and individual climbers will climb either 40 or 71 floors of the Renaissance Center finishing at Coach Insignia overlooking Detroit and Canada.

The event itself takes place from 7:30am- 3:00pm. A $100 fundraising minimum is required to participate in the climb. After the climb there will be an expo hosting the awards ceremony, snacks and drinks for participants, and various vendors.

Everyone has a special reason for climbing. This year, Clinton Township resident Valerie Schave is climbing for those she watched perish from lung cancer. Not only has she lost two close friends, but she witnessed her cousin Kimberly go through grueling chemotherapy and eventually pass away shortly after being diagnosed.

"It's still so hard to believe that within five months she was gone," Schave said. "From now on, every climb I do will be for her... I want to help keep just one more person from suffering like Kimberly. Keep just one more person around to celebrate another birthday, another anniversary, another Christmas. Keep just one more person from struggling to breathe. All of those things make every single step of the Fight for Air Climb worth it."

The American Lung Association's mission is to save lives by preventing lung disease and promoting lung health. From tuberculosis to tobacco, from hazardous air to asthma, COPD and lung cancer, we fight the diseases and poisons that harm people's lungs and hurt communities. Through education, research and advocacy we work hard to fight for air.

For more details about the event, call American Lung Association of Michigan at (248)-784-2000 or visit climbdetroit.org