Climb. Conquer. Cure. 
March 24th, 2024

Below, my friend Jeff Horst shares Nic's story:

My son Nic was dealt a bad hand from the start.  Born with a large hole in his heart, one of his valves straddled the hole leaving him with 50% cardiac output.   He was not supposed to make the delivery let alone make it to 1 year old.

At 3 years old Nic had the first of 2 open heart surgeries designed to have his heart work more efficiently.  A few months following the surgery Nic started to deteriorate quickly and at one-point Nic was failing to the point we had hospice staying at our home preparing for the worst.   After traditional medicine stated there was nothing else they could do for Nic, my wife and I engaged a naturopath, and we started treating Nic with alternative therapies,  vitamins and nutrition.   Nic started to thrive and was walking, talking, and learning as he started to attend pre-school.  At 5-years-old Nic was strong enough to have the 2nd surgery but suffered a major stroke during the procedure.  The doctors said the procedure would get Nic’s heart to about 18 years old but that he would never walk or talk. 

Through years and years of physical, speech and every kind of therapy possible,  Nic came back to become a cheerful, curious, thoughtful, funny, and beautiful child.   Everyone in Sammamish knew and loved Nic.  Every other year or so Nic would have to have some procedure to keep his damaged heart operating including a pacemaker.  The whole time he accepted his situation and never complained or felt self-pity.  He was always joyous and loved to laugh.

As the doctors predicted, Nic needed a heart transplant at the age of 18.   We decided to have the procedure at Standford and Foss allowed me to do my job as Commercial Director from the San Francisco Office.  We moved down the summer of 2012 and waited for the hospital to call.  Nic also had “Situs Inversus” (organs in your chest and abdomen are opposite side of normal) thus given his unique “plumbing” we had to wait for the right heart.   Nic was running out of time when we got the call in January of 2013.  After some scary moments following the surgery, Nic thrived, and we moved back to Seattle in June of 2013.  

While in the hospital the people from “Make a Wish” visited his room.   Transplant patients get to make a wish and after careful consideration, Nic chose to go to the Tour de France.  Solid Choice.  He never rode a bike in his life but during the summers while he was recovering from a procedure, he and his mom would eat breakfast and watch the race.  We went following his HS graduation in the summer of 2014.  In the fall of 2014, Nic started at Bellevue College.

Transplant patients take immune suppressant drugs, and the biggest risk is blood cancers. In the fall of 2014, Nic started to feel poorly.  After several visits to the hospital, Nic was diagnosed with Lymphoma and given his fragile condition, was in trouble.   From diagnosis to Nic’s passing on December 3rd was 30 days.     He fought and won so many battles over his 21 years, but we lost the last one to Lymphoma. 

Everyone has a story.  Thank you for reading Nic’s and for your participation in this fund-raising event.

What is the Big Climb?
The Big Climb is a stairclimb up the Columbia Center - the tallest skyscraper in downtown Seattle. There are 69 floors of stairs, 1311 steps, and 788 feet of vertical elevation. Although it will be challenging, it pales in comparison to what blood cancer patients go through. All proceeds benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

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!