Fight For Air Climb raises awareness for chronic lung disease
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- People from all across the Philadelphia region will climb 50 floors, or 1,088 stairs, to the top of Three Logan Square in Center City this weekend to bring attention to chronic lung disease.
The 17th annual Fight For Air Climb kicked off Saturday morning with over 600 climbers.
"I'm committed to doing this no matter what as long as I can," climber Mike Carr said.
Determination is key to getting to the top of Three Logan Square.
The Fight For Air Climb is less about bragging rights and more about awareness.
"We're hoping to save lives and get rid of lung disease as much as possible," Carr said.
Carr has made the climb for the past 13 years.
Climbers start from the ground floor on Arch Street and don't stop until they reach the top.
Everyone has their own purpose for climbing.
"We have people who are climbing for loved ones, people who are climbing for themselves, and people who are just climbing for their general health," said Deb Brown with the American Lung Association.
"I started it, oh my gosh, 12 years ago," Jaime Cheng said. "I lost my dad to sinus and lung cancer in 2007 and randomly found out about this event."
The climb isn't just for cancer awareness but for all lung diseases and air quality.
Maggie Gehman is a second grader and she's climbing for the first time with her mother Jessica.
"We're not only raising funds for lung cancer," Jessica Gehman said, "but also kiddos that Maggie knows that maybe have asthma and suffer from asthma or the quality of air that we breathe."
The Gehmans tend to do the "century climb" meaning you climb 50 floors up, take the elevator down, and climb 50 floors again.
Maggie, age 7, did the climb this year.
"This is the first year she was able to do it with our team in honor of my mom," Jessica Gehman said. "This is our 11th year climbing as a team, we lost my mom in 2012. And we love being able to be a part of this organization and to share my mom's story every year."
Once at the top, the views are unbeatable -- even if the air is questionable.
CBS News Philadelphia reported this week that while air quality throughout the region is improving, ozone, which is mainly caused by car emissions and power plants, continues to get a failing grade.
"Anyone breathing these pollutants can have long-lasting effects," Brown said. "Unless emissions decline, it will continue to put the public health at risk."
As far as the climb goes, on average it takes 15 minutes to get to the top. We're told if you can walk a mile, you can climb the 50 floors.
"It's not as scary as it sounds, especially if you take your time and walk," Cheng said.
Later Saturday morning, some firefighters made the climb with all their equipment on their backs.
