Many readers of this column may know that my 12-year-old nephew, Trevor, died from leukemia in 2002. So, it’s always a bitter-sweet moment for me when I see that first “Big Climb” registration email come through my in-box each January.
A fundraising event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, our family and friends (100+ strong!) don their orange Project Trevor t-shirts (Trevor’s favorite color) every year. Except for my other six teenage nephews and their friends who bound up the stairs three at a time, the rest of us walk or crawl up the 69 flights of stairs at the Columbia Center — remembering Trevor and raising funds so that other families won’t suffer the same tragic loss of a family member.
Over the past eight years, Project Trevor team members have raised over $100,000 and battle for friendly bragging rights with such teams as Frankie’s Fans and Team Caleb. Surely there is nothing friendly about this blood cancer but remembering loved ones and raising money to fight the disease, however, is the mission of those left wondering why.
And sadly, as with every passing year, there is yet another young victim of this deadly blood disease.
This year’s Big Climb Honoree is Ezra Sherman, a 10-year-old identical twin who died in February 2009 within six days of being diagnosed. Ezra, who was a fifth grader at Seattle’s McGilvra Elementary, loved unicycling, waveboarding, acting and making people laugh. In his honor, Ezra’s family immediately got behind his memory and formed Team Ezra.
This year’s Big Climb is March 21. It’s 69 flights of stairs, 1,311 steps and 788 vertical feet of elevation at Seattle’s tallest building, the Columbia Tower.
Last year, 6,000 participants — including firefighters from around the world — raised a record-breaking $1.3 million. The goal inches to $1.4 million this year.
Make the Big Climb your New Year’s goal to get in shape. To register, log onto www.bigclimb.org. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society also runs the popular Team in Training fundraiser. Log onto www.teamintraining.org/wa/ to find out more about this running and walking program.
Thanks for fighting this devastating disease with us. See you at the Big Climb in March!
Stair Climb workouts!
It’s not too late to start training for the Big Climb, March 21. Seattle has a multitude of stair climbs within the city to stretch your legs and your lungs. Click here for a listing of Seattle stair climbs.
Click here if you would also like to read our NW Health Beat story on Seattle stair climbs>>>
(Many thanks to the City of Seattle and Montlake’s Craig Soper and friends for updating this comprehensive list.) |
