Kari’s Klimbers are taking the stairs again! Sunday, February 23, 2025
I’m dealing with a bit of a personal challenge this year –
In July, my pancreas ended up in a bucket and they found a malignant
tumor. Soooo, at present, I’m waist deep
in chemo therapy and from time to time it’s kicking my butt. But not too hard. But hard enough to have one of Kari’s teammates
wear my #13 bib in the stairwells this year.
(I will be there cheering everyone on, and at the top via elevator,
because I know people.) It kinda sucks –
but it’s also a perspective thang. Mom
& Dad didn’t think I’d survive my teens with my cystic fibrosis. I’m 64.
That’s, like, 375 in CF years!
Fully half of lung recipients don’t live beyond 5 years – maybe 20% make
10 years. In April, I’ll have had Kari’s
beautiful lungs for 25 years. Without a
glitch. When my kidneys failed 13 years
ago – one of Kari’s friends, Alex, had her hand up in a heartbeat offering her
kidney – and it’s worked perfectly since.
This is about what I’ve been given, not what might be taken
away. And all I’ve been given completely
overwhelms other aspects of my life.
Between my Laura, Kari and her family, Alex, soooo many medical
professionals, Kari’s friends, and just so many friends supporting me - they
are the ones who carried me when I needed them.
They are the ones who make survival worthwhile – and I count you among
them, Thanks.
There’s a little phrase that I hope defines me when I go –
and I will go – but we’ll work to delay that as much as possible: Don’t cry because I’m gone. Smile because I was here.
Over 64 years I’ve been built up to face this nonsense – it
still scares the living $hit out of me sometimes – but I still know I have to
wander into that dark cave now and then sneering, “Come at me mother f*****, if
you dare…”. We all fight with strength
we have – and often we fall back on those surrounding us to recharge.
In less than 2 weeks, on Sunday, February 23, for the 23rd
time – my team will be taking the stairs 94 floors, 1,600+ steps, in Kari’s
memory.
For the past 21 years I’ve had Kari’s crazy, lovable teammates, #15, #12, #9, #8, #7, #4, and #2 in the stairwells with me – this year Coach Terhark, Kari’s and the girl’s volleyball coach will join us! In the past, Kari’s family and many others who Kari grew up with have joined us. I love that they help me honor her.
I do this climb to tell people about Kari – and tell people
about her goodness, and the goodness of her family and friends. – and I tell
people about Alex, and the importance of organ donation. And we also do this for people with crappy
lungs, like I had. RHAMC helps
people breathe easier – they fund research in lung disease – they help people
stop smoking – they help people with lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic
fibrosis, COPD, asthma, and other respiratory diseases live longer, easier
lives.
Like so many important causes – Respiratory Health
Association needs funding to help others. If you have a few bucks burning a hole in
your pocket, I or anyone on my team would be honored to receive a pledge. But, more than anything, I’d love it if you
would check out my little website and read about the beautiful girl whose lungs
I breathe with, as well as the beautiful girl who gave me her kidney – and the
people who surrounded them, and surround me now – people who have allowed me to
leap tall buildings.
To see my Hustle page or pledge me: Click Here
To see my website about Kari: www.ClimbingForKari.org
To find someone on my full team (click “Roster”): Click Here
Nice RHAMC story posted about me and the climb: Click Here
Being surrounded by people who knew and loved Kari, and by
people who know and love me, is something that defies description. The support I’ve received from people like
you has allowed me to tell so many people about Kari. In the past 23 years, our team has raised
nearly a half million dollars – because of people like you. Thank you.
Over the years I’ve done a fair amount of public speaking and, often
enough when I walk into a room, more than one person pulls me aside and says,
“You’re the one who climbs a hundred stories with your new lungs, and your
donor’s friends!” And often enough, they
already know Kari’s beautiful smile…. I am that guy – and I’m proud of that –
and more than anything, I want them to know her smile. I will have Kari’s lungs for nearly 25 years
when we climb – and her beautiful friend’s kidney for nearly 13 years. They have allowed me to more than I’d ever
dreamed possible.
And finally, and very important to me – please consider
organ & tissue donation and register to be a donor on your state’s donor registry. And, tell your family how you feel. I know a beautiful girl from Iowa who knew
how she felt, and she told her family. I
think about her every single day.
Chicago, Illinois
Kari’s Klimbers
Hustle Link: Click Here
