Take the Stairs Day is encouraging Oklahomans to choose stairs over elevators and escalators as part of a nationwide effort to promote lung health and support the mission of the American Lung Association. The annual event also serves as a kickoff for the organization’s Fight for Air Climb fundraiser.
The initiative highlights the health benefits of physical activity, particularly for lung function, while raising money to support research, education and advocacy aimed at ending lung disease, including lung cancer, asthma and COPD. News 9 spoke to American Lung Association Development Manager, Angelina Welke and board member Wendy Sparks to learn more about the initiative.
“Anyone can get lung cancer, It’s not necessarily just people who are smoking,” Welke said. “People think of that when they think of lung cancer, but you really think about the air that we’re breathing or exposures of chemicals that we’re intaking.”
Local organizers say anyone can participate by simply opting to take the stairs throughout the day. In Oklahoma City, the effort leads into the Fight for Air Climb, scheduled for March 7 at Leadership Square, where participants will climb 68 flights of stairs — a total of 1,445 steps — as part of the fundraiser.
“Oklahoma is actually ranked 50th in lung cancer screening,” Welke said. “We have a lot to do in Oklahoma, and if we are getting the high-risk lung cancer patients screened, that reduces the mortality rate by 20%.”
Sparks said she became involved after losing her sister, Nikki, to lung cancer in 2013. Since then, her team, Team Nikki, has participated annually and raised more than $300,000 over 13 years to support the American Lung Association’s work.
Funds raised through the Fight for Air Climb support a wide range of respiratory health efforts, including programs focused on lung cancer, asthma, COVID-19 and COPD. Organizers emphasized that the cause impacts people of all backgrounds and ages.
Advocates also point to ongoing challenges in Oklahoma, where the state ranks 50th nationally in lung cancer screening. Health officials say increasing screenings among high-risk patients can reduce lung cancer mortality by about 20%, underscoring the need for expanded access, particularly in rural areas.
Organizers stress that lung cancer is not limited to smokers, noting that anyone with lungs can be affected due to factors such as air quality and environmental exposures.
More information about registering for the Fight for Air Climb is available at ClimbOklahomaCity.org.
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