9th Annual 'Anthem Fight For Air' Takes Place At Republic Plaza
DENVER (CBS4) – Participants climbed 56 flights of stairs for the 9th annual "Anthem Fight For Air" at Republic Plaza on Sunday.
The event is put on by the American Lung Association in Colorado.
Carmella Martinez-Baldridge participated in climbing 56 floors to honor her dad, Bal Chaves.
"He died of lung cancer four years ago," said Martinez-Baldridge
Hear T-shirt read "Head Um Up, Move Um Out," a quote from her late father.
"Move um out is what he would tell us when we were getting ready to leave someplace," said Martinez-Baldridge.
She was one among roughly 2000 other participants that ranged from interested athletes to double lung transplant survivors.
"We are here raising money for lung health," said Ashlie Reynoso from the American Lung Association Colorado.
According to the American Lung Association, lung disease death rates continue to go up while other leading causes of death decline.
Events like the Anthem Fight For Air raise money to help change that.
"All of these people have fundraised a minimum of $100 so this is our largest fundraiser of the year," said Reynoso.
While climbers walked, ran or crawled their way to the top for different reasons, for Martinez-Baldridge it's about paying tribute to her dad.
"Head Um Up, Move Um Out and get to the top of these stairs and do it for him since he can't," said Martinez-Baldridge.