Hello friends and family! For the second year in a row, the San Jose Fire Department will be participating in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Firefighter Stairclimb. Our numbers this year have grown from 16 members last year to 23 members climbing this year.  My teammates have already raised over $20,000, putting our team in 6th place overall for fundraising - and now it is my turn to help out. 

I wanted to share with all of you one of my memories from last year's event. While it was a great weekend bonding with other members of my department and their families in my hometown of Seattle, the most prominent memory was during the climb. Physically, I found the climb to be more challenging than I had expected or any of my training in the months leading up to the event had prepared me for. The most powerful motivator to help me reach the top floor of the Columbia Tower was in the stairwell we were climbing. On every one of the 69 floors on the way up were photos of people who are battling, or have battled blood cancer. The 22 minutes and 13 seconds I spent climbing the tower with my equipment from work didn't even scratch the surface of the struggle that those people experience. 

Last year, all of you helped me raise so much money that I had to increase my fundraising goal. While I know that it can be difficult to carve out additional room in our budgets, I'm hoping that some of you are able to help out once again.

Thank you for your generosity - the impact of your contributions can make a tremendous impact in the research to treat Leukemia and Lymphoma. 

With deep gratitude,

Jon Hsu

Climb. Conquer. Cure.

69 Flights I 1,356 Steps I 788 Ft. Vertical Elevation

Hello! I will be participating in the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Before I ascend the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle, WA, I will be raising funds throughout the season in the name of funding and finding a cure. Please consider making a donation to not only help me achieve my personal fundraising goal, but to benefit patients and their families everywhere.

What is the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb?

The LLS Firefighter Stairclimb is the world's largest on-air stair climb competition, and annual fundraiser held at the tallest building in town, the Columbia Center. All 2,000 participants are career, volunteer, or retired firefighters who will climb up the second tallest skyscraper west of the Mississippi in full turnout gear, weighing over 60 pounds, while on-air. Throughout this grueling course, we all remember that every step forward is representative of moving closer to a cure. Although this is an extreme test of physical endurance, it pales in comparison to what blood cancer patients endure. All proceeds raised directly benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and since its inception in 1991, this event has raised over $22 million thus far.