Fighting For Air: Atlanta Community Raises $150,000 for Lung Health

This morning, during the American Lung Association’s 18th annual Fight For Air Climb Atlanta, more than 350 participants—from beginners to competitive climbers—climbed 40 floors, more than 800 stairs, to the top of Promenade Tower, one of the state’s tallest skyscrapers. More than 150 Atlanta-area firefighters climbed in turnout gear. The event has raised nearly $150,000, and counting, to support the Lung Association’s lifesaving research, programming and advocacy for the more than 1.4 million people in Georgia living with lung disease.

“For the past eighteen years, the Atlanta community has united to climb great heights for our loved ones and neighbors who are impacted by lung disease. They struggle every day for the breath that many of us take for granted,” said Dr. Jannifer Harper, chair of the Lung Association’s Georgia Leadership Board. “Thank you to our participants, firefighters and first responders, volunteers and sponsors who came out today to raise nearly $150,000 to save lives—with more funds still coming in. Every step we’ve taken today gets us closer to a future free of lung cancer and lung disease.”

Luis Aguilar received the inaugural “Dr. Gerald Staton, Jr. Fundraising Award.” The award was created to recognize the late Dr. Staton and his contributions to lung health. In addition to serving as the division director of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Emory School of Medicine, Dr. Staton was a steadfast supporter of the Fight For Air Climb since its inception, raising thousands of dollars for lung health. This is Aguilar’s 14th year at the Atlanta Climb, and he has raised more than $45,000 and climbs for those who can’t.

Funds raised from the Fight For Air Climb support the mission of the American Lung Association and its efforts to defeat lung cancer, champion clean air, improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families and create a tobacco-free future.

Thank you to our local sponsors, including City of Hope Cancer Center, Northside Hospital Cancer Institute, Raymond James, CAIRE Inc., Circulogene, Invitation Homes, Wellstar Health System, 11Alive, Promenade Tower, 104.7 The Fish and Boehringer Ingelheim. Thank you to our national corporate team partners, Kindred Hospitals and Raymond James.

For more information about the event and to support the American Lung Association mission to save lives, visit ClimbAtlanta.org.