Three Richmond firefighters are prepping to participate in a unique fundraising event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that involves climbing the stairs of the second tallest building west of the Mississippi in full gear while wearing a breathing apparatus.
Richmond firefighters Kyle Mallinger, Kelly Griffin and Marcus Faumui are set to climb 69 floors of the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle on March 10 while wearing 40 extra pounds of weight.
Faumui, himself a cancer survivor, was recently named the hardest-working person in the U.S. in a United Airlines contest. Diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in November 2015, Faumui endured 15 months of chemotherapy and one surgery to remove the cancerous tumor, according to Richmond Firefighters Local 188.
“After his last round of chemo in January 2017 and one month later he was back to work serving the community,”the firefighters’ union stated.
Last year, the 28th annual Leukemia and Lymphoma Societies Firefighter Stairclimb raised over $2.61 million for blood cancer research.
“Richmond firefighters would like to ask the community as well as anyone else who can for their donation to this very worthwhile cause,” Local 188 stated. “All donations will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and will not be used for any other reason.
For information on how to donate, click here.
