Why climb Kilimanjaro for PHA?

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a curable disease. No, we don't have the cure yet, but to me it is something I am quite hopeful will happen within my career, which has about 15 years to go. We just have to push hard enough, be dedicated enough, climb over every obstacle, and keep pushing just when we feel like sitting down. Kind of like climbing a mountain. And kind of like living with PAH. Our climb of Kilimanjaro honors all those who courageously live with PAH every day, those who courageously have died with PAH, the caregivers who are there every step of the way, the caregivers left behind when a loved one with PAH reaches the end of their struggle.


Every time I see a patient newly diagnosed with PAH, I wonder "Is this a patient who will live to see their PAH be curable?" "How can I help to make that happen?" Climbing Kilimanjaro is all about that. Today I ran 4 miles up and down hills in 44 minutes in the cool air of a Minnesota November, bringing my total for the month to about 20 miles thus far. Kilimanjaro is 19,334 feet (5893 metres) high, with a trek totalling over 40 miles. I plan to be ready.


Come along on our journey. Our goal is to raise $100,000 for PHA, promoting disease awareness and supporting new research to help find the cure. If 10,000 people give $10 each, we will achieve that goal. Only about half of people who attempt to climb Kilimanjaro reach the very top. We intend to make it; your support will energize our every step. Together we will follow the path to a cure!