Annual Fight For Air Climb at Soldier Field raises over $350K for lung health
Despite the heat in Chicago, climbers took to Soldier Field for the annual Fight for Air Climb event to raise thousands of dollars for lung health.
Over 700 people from different skill levels participated in Sunday morning's event, presented by UnitedHealthcare, to raise money for research, education, and advocacy. In the end, they raised over $350,000.
The climb helps support the over 1.4 million people living with lung disease in Illinois.
Due to the weekend's dangerous weather, organizers had changed the original 1,600-step route and added portable misting fans. The heat, however, didn't stop the Firefighter Challenge as teams of firefighters climbed in full gear.
"We're letting our firefighters know that typically climb in full gear to drop those jackets, drop those tanks — they're heroes already," said Danielle Trojanek, executive director of the American Lung Association. "We just want to make sure that their safety is our first priority."
The American Lung Association said it looks forward to next year's event and "continuing its commitment to improving lung health and preventing lung disease."