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Fight For Air fundraiser climbs to the top of the Metropolitan

lung.org

Over 250 people climbed the stairs of The Metropolitan Saturday morning in downtown Rochester in an effort to raise money for the American Lung Association.

This is the sixth year of the event in Rochester where participants climbed 534 stairs, six floors higher than previous venues.

Jennifer Soloman, Communications Associate for the American Lung Association says they also partner with local firefighters, who have a separate race to the top of the building wearing 50 pounds of firefighting gear.

“They rely on strong healthy lungs to do their jobs and save lives every day and this event helps us spread the awareness about lung health here in Rochester.”

Over 70 firefighters participated this year, with proceeds going towards lung disease research and advocacy.

Soloman says both volunteers and participants train for this event.

“Whether they’re here to use this as a fitness target or just as a fun way to be active and meet new friends, the end goal is to raise $60,000 hopefully to support the Lung Association’s mission.”

Over 8,000 people die of lung cancer each year in New York State.