Why I Climb

I do the climb to honor my late Grandfather who passed away on Sept. 11,
2007 of Lung Cancer. I saw what it did to his mind and body. Through it all he stayed stronger than I thought possible and never complained of any pain or discomfort though I'm sure that it riddled his body. My grandfather was a great person that I looked up to and to do this climb is a minor effort on my part, but is the least I can do in order to help prevent this from happening to others.

Andy Ault

I walk because I have had asthma since I was 3 years old and I'm now 38.  I have always struggled with it and have been to the hospital many times.  I am very blessed that I have 3 very healthy children.  On May 10, 2008 my lungs collapsed and I was on a respirator for 2 weeks and wasn't expected to live.  I pulled through and recovered nicely and I'm very grateful.  My first asthma walk was just a couple of weeks before that happened and I plan to walk each year now and hope to raise money to contribute to this need.  

- Kristi McCormick

Why do I Walk?

Asthma Sucks...yes that is my team, and yes it does. It can suck the life right out of you. I have had asthma my entire life and that is all I know. It restricted me from doing many things that I wanted to do as a child. I couldn't have a pet. I couldn't sleep over at certain friends' houses because the house would make me sick. I couldn't go to regular camp like my friends. I took sometimes 7 to 8 medications everyday just to keep me healthy. I would have teachers ridicule me because I coughed too much in class. Some kids would not be my friend because of the illness. It seemed that I would no sooner get over an episode and the next one would start.

I was hospitalized several times growing up and I almost didn't make it once. Families should not have to go through what my family has gone through and I want to make a difference. I got educated and have worked hard to lead a “normal life”. My asthma has held me back some, but by being educated and taking my meds like I was told to, I still played sports all through school. I played basketball, soccer, and even ran cross country. I've had to work hard at being “normal”. I'm in college now and in good control, but I know that asthma can sneak up and strike again at anytime (and it does), so I stay on my meds. I've raised almost $ 4,000 over the past two years. Asthma Sucks will continue to be a team and I will continue to Walk. I want other kids to have a better chance at a normal life than I did. That is why I walk.

Andy Bost
Nashville , TN

Even though it's still hard when Koltin comes down with a virus or "the cough" that never seems to quit we are just thankful that he has "WONDERFUL" doctor's to turn to like Dr. Schowinsky and Dr. Allen that continue to keep our "little man" safe from this terrible disease that so many suffer from, so please walk with us and NEVER GIVE UP THE FIGHT!!

God Bless,

Kevin and Shannon Kenily

Live as if today is your last for tomorrow may never come.

[I walk] Because Asthma is affecting my son, sister, cousin, niece and many others in the world who struggle to breathe.

Team shooter is a team of the family and friends of John Albright aka shooter who died of an Asthma attack on April 13, 2005. We walk in his memory and to help others have a better quality and length of life while living with this disease. John was only 66 when he died and left behind family and friends who miss him everyday. John also has 2 grandson's who suffer from asthma and the team wants to make sure that they will be able to control their disease. We walked our first walk the June after John died because we wanted to do something to help others who have this disease and to increase awareness that if not treated properly, Asthma is a killer.

Rosie (wife of John)

My asthma story is about my mother Mary Campbell. She is an amazing mother and she is one of my best friends. She has worked as a nurse for 23 years and suffers from asthma. I have seen her get short of breathe, have and asthma attack, and have come home to her taking a breathing treatment in the middle of the day because she couldn't breathe. Mom does her best to keep her asthma under control but sometimes it's just not good enough. She tells me to take care of my body so I won't have any problems breathing like her. My mom is caring and loving and she would do anything for anyone within her power. She is amazing and truly a blessing in my life. She never complains about her asthma but just sees things differently for people who are asthmatic. She goes about her day and she works so hard. She inspires me to do my best when I feel like giving up. She is an angel. I walk in the group Mary's Angels and we are walking for a purpose so maybe one day they can help my mom so she can be healthy and happy again. I can not wait to see what happens.

Thanks for this you are really saving my mom,
Katherine Campbell
Captain of the Mary's Angels

I have many reasons as to why I walk. The first reason I walk is because I had asthma since I was born on sept. 14, 1990 and have had it since, so for about 17 yrs. I wasn't truly diagnosed with it until I was 11 so about 5th grade. I struggle with everything I do everyday. I have frequent asthma attacks but they are pretty mild, but some tend to be more serious. I cannot run, laugh with my friends, or do other normal everyday life events without having a risk of an asthma attack. I have Chronic Exercise Induced, but I also will have attacks when I'm not even exercising. Ever since I was little I wanted to be a Firefighter and a Paramedic. Only to find out that Firefighting was out due to the fact that most Fire Departments don't hire Asthmatics. I thought my asthma was just taking over my life, since I could not follow my dreams. It wasn't until about a few months ago that I found out a firefighter at my hometown station ( Norwalk ) had asthma as well. He inspired me that no matter what anyone tells you or what health problems you have you shouldn't let asthma stop you from following your dreams. He told me it is hard for him to be a firefighter due to his asthma but it doesn't stop him from doing what he loves. I would have never followed my dreams of being a firefighter and a paramedic if it wasn't for him. So I also walk for him, since he inspired me to follow my dreams and gave me confidence that I can do anything that i set my mind to.

Amanda Hanneman

I had very severe asthma, allergies, and hay fever as a child. I recall summers in the house in front of the air conditioning, trying to catch my breath. In the winter I had to bundle up so that I didn't breathe in the cold air, which also triggered asthma attacks by the time I had walked around the corner to my school. In the spring, the pollen from the trees would cause severe attacks. In the fall I couldn't go trick or treating because the night air would cause an attack….

Basically I had a rough childhood because of asthma. The medicines prescribed were too strong for me (Theophylline) and caused other issues. Also, I was allergic to everything and when my parents took me repeatedly to the ER or doctors office I was terrified, which triggered another attack. I hated to miss school, but when I couldn't breathe I would spend weeks at a time in the hospital or at home.

Well, when my children were born with breathing issues, I was really worried about them going through their lives struggling to breathe. I wondered if things were different some 15 years after I had struggled. The research and resulting new medicines have given my children opportunities to play sports, manage their asthma and live symptom free for the vast majority of their youth.

I know that it is because of the work of the ALA that these advances have taken place. And so, to do my part, I am more than happy to walk with the BGSU Firelands Campus team in support of the Blow the Whistle on Asthma campaign.

Crystal Taylor

Why do I walk!

I was diagnosed at the age of 42 - adult onset - never smoked, and no smokers ever in the house! and I am affected by this horrible thing called ASTHMA.  Asthma has me now to the point that I am on complete disability at the age of 51.  I realize everyday that I can not keep up or even play with my grandchildren due to asthma, I can't go camping, I can't swim, I can't seems to be a big word - but what I CAN do is to keep fighting to help find answers for people that suffer - so therefore I WALK - oxygen and all!!

See you on the 17th.

Cindy Dunn

I never thought that my son would be diagnosed with Asthma. Nathan's first attack was shortly after he had turned a year old. It seemed to be allergies so we treated him as so. Sniffles and a light cough didn't seem too serious. A few days had gone by and the wheezing and coughing had progressively gotten worse. It was time to call the doctor. As soon as I reached the doctor I began telling her the situation. The doctor could hear Nathan in his attempt to breathe on the phone and advised us to get to a hospital as soon as possible. We were scared out of our minds. Our son only has a cough right? He's going to be fine? After several breathing treatments and an overnight stay we learned that our little boy was suffering from Asthma. Asthma as become a huge part of our life now. It takes a lot of work keeping him in a comfortable environment where he can live and breathe. Almost 2 years after his diagnosis, Nathan has his Asthma under control. There are times when Nathan needs a little boost from a nebulizer but Nathan now understands that it's something he has to do in order to make himself feel better. Daily medication is also needed to help prevent his allergies from seting off an attack. Asthma has become life changing. Simple tasks such as cleaning and dusting have to be done carefully to avoid irritating his lungs. Nathan is an active, healthy and charismatic little boy. I don't think that anything, even asthma will get in his way. Asthma will never slow Nathan down, but at times we have to!

Why Do I Care?

I get some kidding about my involvement with the Asthma Walk. Friends will assume it may be about keeping peace at home. (My wife is an executive with the American Lung Association of the Midland States.)

And as a consequence of my home life, I must admit to hearing for over twenty years about respiratory disease, air quality issues, smoking cessation and education, and pending legislation regarding all of the above. Therefore my education on these issues may be a little more extensive than that of most laymen.

The reality, however, is much simpler and even more personal You see, I have asthma.

What's more, my condition was not diagnosed or treated until I was an adult, even though, in retrospect, I was symptomatic my entire life. I have what is called exercise-induced asthma. I could work for sixteen hours, walk for fifteen miles, play baseball, swim, even run a 20 yard dash with no ill effect.

However, if instead that dash became a quarter mile run, or two laps in the pool stretched to ten, or if too much of that walking involved flights of stairs, I could be on my back wondering if I was ever going to breathe again. It was unfortunate in an era when asthma was often undiagnosed, misdiagnosed and poorly understood at best. It was also an era when gym teachers and coaches, out of ignorance (and a touch of sadism?) assumed that your collapse was about lack of desire or will to win. There's nothing like a near-death experience served with a side of humiliation.

Nevertheless, I count myself as very fortunate, for allergies, temperature and humidity extremes, and other environmental factors don't spontaneously put me into attack. I never wake up in the middle of the night gasping for breath “just because”. I now live in a time when asthma education, prevention and treatments have all greatly improved. I'm lucky.

But much more needs to be done. Millions of people have asthma, and the incidence is increasing. No one knows why, yet. There are some effective treatments to prevent or aid attacks, but they don't always work, yet. And there is no cure, yet.

That is why we are raising funds for further research. It's why we're devoting a little time and reaching out to our friends, relatives, coworkers and neighbors for help.

I know we often feel uncomfortable asking people for money. It's important to remember that most people want to help: they just need to be asked. And this year I decided to make it a little more fun: I set a goal of $1,000 in pledges and promised that if I hit it, I would shave my head. And provide before and after pictures.

And you know what? You never know how many friends you have until you give them an opportunity to laugh at (or with) you. I am very confident that I will hit or exceed my goal, and I'm lining up barbers, sunscreen and baseball caps.

What might you do for a challenge goal? Give it some thought.

Next year I may threaten to streak. People should pay BIG bucks for that not to happen.

Dave Volz

April 24, 2008

You ask a very good question.  Why do I complete the Blow the Whistle on Asthma Walk each year?  A simple answer is "Because I still can".  You see I am a survivor of childhood asthma and endured the hours of tests, shots, and the feeling of never being able to breath again during bouts with illnesses.  I survived the weeks in hospitals, first as a four year old scared little man, and last time as a sophomore high school student missing out on sports, dating and other school events.  Now, if I can generate a dollar or two to find a cure so that not one more child has to go through that, well I need to complete that effort.  Pure and simple, I need to make sure we find that cure today.

Larry Hanneman
Norwalk Ohio

In the middle  of February, I started having a continual cough, and after two weeks the cough turned into a chest infection.  Having had chest infections often due to being asthmatic, I didn't think too much of it but did see medical help.  The medicines I took (including the steroid prednisone) helped, but not enough.  On Sunday, March 2, I found myself extremely short of breath but not to the point I felt helpless.  I asked my husband to just drive me to Lima to the emergency room (since my asthma doctor was in Lima) and told him I was fine.  Halfway to Lima, I suddenly could bring in no air at all.  It was as if someone had thrown a plastic bag over my head and sealed it.  By then Gary said I had started turning blue.   We called the squad and met the ambulance in a parking lot halfway to Lima, and I was taken by ambulance the rest of the way to the emergency room.  Gary said it was the most frightening feeling to follow the ambulance and not know whether or not I was still alive.  I was in the hospital from Sunday through Wednesday and now I feel fine, thank heavens.  I still feel very puffy from the steroids and hope that the after-effects of those will eventually go away.

Asthma is a lifelong disease.....it doesn't care whether or not you had plans to work on appropriations on Monday, had a scheduled board meeting on Tuesday,  or if you had vacation plans in three weeks.  I was lucky.  We need to find a cure, and if my small donation will help, just imagine what everyone's small donations will do. Together we need to find a cure so young kids someday won't have to go through this.