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Hundreds Climb 897 Steps At One Oxford Center To Raise Awareness About Lung Disease

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Hundreds of participants were climbing the stairs Saturday at One Oxford Center in Downtown Pittsburgh to raise awareness about chronic lung disease.

The American Lung Association's 9th Annual Fight for Air Climb kicked off at 9 a.m. as participants began the climb up the skyscraper's 45 flights of stairs, 897 steps in all.

"We started out initially nine years ago with just maybe around 100. We are now up to over 600 individuals climbing the stairs," said Deborah Brown, the CEO of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic. "We've raised $114,000 so far. Fundraising continues for another month or so."

One Oxford Center is one of Pittsburgh's tallest skyscrapers.

Among the participants were local athletes, first responders and other members of the community.

"We have firefighters here who will be climbing in full gear just to really give people a glimpse of what it's like to live everyday gasping for air, gasping for breath, and that's what people with lung disease do every day," said Brown.

Many participants climbed in memory of loved ones.

"My brother Scott was an avid runner, non-smoker and healthy young man, yet we lost him to lung cancer," said participant and Pittsburgh native Jonathan Garet in a press release.

Each participant paid a registration fee and was also asked to collect a minimum of a $100 donation.

All proceeds go to lung disease prevention, research and advocacy programs.

The American Lung Association hopes to raise $150,000 this year.

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