Climb. Conquer. Cure. 
March 24th, 2024

Hi there, if you're reading this, thank you.

I will be participating in the Big Climb - Seattle this year. Our efforts will help make a big difference in the fight against blood cancers.

What is the Big Climb?

The Big Climb is a stair climb up the Columbia Center, which is the tallest skyscraper in downtown Seattle. There are 69 floors, 1311 steps, and 788 feet of vertical elevation.​

Why am I doing this?

​As most of you know, my dad was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in December of 2022. I remember him describing it. "I woke up one day and had a pretty weird bruise on my torso, so I called my doc. He told me it was probably nothing but to come in for some blood work." About a week later, he had a diagnosis and things moved super fast. When they did the bone marrow biopsy, he had over 80% of his bone marrow as cancerous cells. They had to start treatment immediately, which was initially well-tolerated, but then within about a week, Dad struggled to survive. It was a rollercoaster and we didn't think he'd make it, but he survived due to some amazing treatments. In fact, the treatment was so successful inititally that he had no detectable cancer cells in his bone marrow at his second biopsy about a month later. 

Another month after that, I visited my parents at home in St. Louis, and Dad was pretty much normal. No symptoms other than a little dry mouth. It was like the cancer treatment was just another chore to check off his ever present to-do list. He was doing household chores and his usual witty self. We had a really great spring and summer with Dad. He got to see the graduation of two of his grandkids, and we all got to talk to him regularly and know how much he truly loved us. I remember at one point during the worst of his treatment he said, "You know, I used to get really bothered by trivial things. But lately, I just realize that that stuff doesn't matter. It really doesn't." I remember revisiting that conversation with him during this time of remission and he told me it really had changed how he felt. He had been given a gift of life and he knew it. I don't think I ever ended a conversation with him during that time without him adamantly telling me how much he loved me.

Unfortunately, anyone who has gone through or known someone who has gone through blood cancer knows it is highly likely to recur. Most other cancers, you have a hard tumor that over time has the possibility of spreading throughout the body. Blood cancer is already there when it presents. And by that very nature of being in our most precious, life-giving fluid, it is extremely dangerous and life-threatening upon presentation. And it is just so fast. For Dad, it recurred in late July and took him less than a week later.

I am doing the Big Climb to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). They provide funding for lifesaving research treatments. Ones like my dad had that allowed us to have so much more time. I remember one of the main treatments Dad had didn't even exist a few years ago. It allowed him to live almost entirely symptom free while he was in remission. The LLS also gave Dad at least one grant to help cover some of the costs related to treatment. 

Who is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society?
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. The mission of LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Every day, more than 347 LLS sponsored researchers come closer to the goal of finding a cure for leukemia and related blood cancers. Locally, LLS funds 10 researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington Medical Center. Your support and commitment to the mission of LLS enables us to continue this important work of saving lives and aids us in our ability to reach patients in our community.

Thank you for your time and I hope that you will consider donating to this cause!