Nearly half a million Iowans live with some form of lung disease—an enduring public health challenge that the American Lung Association (ALA) confronts head-on each year through advocacy, research, education, and community engagement. One of its hallmark events, the Fight for Air Climb, brings people together to raise both funds and awareness for lung health; this year’s event raised more than $200,000 between individual and group climbers. The participating climbers are an interesting and colorful cross-section. The event draws police officers and firefighters, who complete the climb in full uniform, fitness fanatics, spectators, and, of course, pulmonary clinicians and researchers from UI Health Care.
See Iowa’s ALA Chair, Alicia Gerke, MD, MBA, talk about her climb with WHO13 news!
This year’s climb was held in downtown Des Moines in the EMC Insurance, Hub Tower, and Ruan Center buildings, totaling 79 floors to be climbed. Among the hundreds of participants were faculty, trainees, and supporters from the University of Iowa’s Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine. The self-titled “IA Lung Leaders” raised an impressive $4,045 for the ALA in pledges—the most raised by any group competing in the “Company” category.
David Stoltz, MD, PhD, director of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, participated in the event for the first time. He called called the experience “inspiring,” noting the strong sense of community and shared purpose. “I’ve never done this event before, but I will be back next year and I hope to bring more faculty and trainees with me,” he said.
For Thomas Gross, MD, a longtime ALA leader and advocate, the event is both personal and professional. “I am the Advocacy Director for the ALA in Iowa, the Chair-elect of the Regional ALA Board in Chicago, and a Regional Representative to the National ALA Board,” he said. Gross was in the top 10 individual climbers of the event and expressed the importance of the event, which has led to his return, year after year.
“The ‘Fight for Air Climb’ is an annual fundraising event we use to highlight the role of the ALA in advocating for our four main priorities,” Gross said. He said events like these are steps toward creating a tobacco-free future, improving the quality of life for lung disease patients, championing clean air for all, and defeating lung cancer.
This is why participants climb hundreds of steps in a physical show of solidarity, bringing to life one of the ALA’s guiding principles: when you can’t breathe, nothing else matters.
From athletes and firefighters to families climbing in honor of loved ones, the event draws a wide range of people united by a common goal. Gross noted it as an opportunity for community-building and hopes to continue the tradition with an even bigger UI faction in future climbs. “My group always finds somewhere local to have lunch afterwards,” he said. “We decompress, re-energize, and commit to ‘same time, same place’ next year.”
As rates of asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and other pulmonary conditions remain high, events like the Fight for Air Climb offer both hope and momentum—fueling critical research and advocacy in pursuit of a future where everyone can breathe a little easier.
