A group of diverse athletes both able-bodied and adaptive from across the United States and Ecuador joined forces on September 25-27 on behalf of the non-profit Range of Motion Project (ROMP) to provide prosthetic care to amputees who do not have access. While the team’s original goal was to summit Ecuador’s 19,347-foot volcano, the trip was postponed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As they await their opportunity to climb Cotopaxi, the group has teamed up to still collectively climb a total of 19,347 vertical feet during a 48-hour climb-a-thon.
“Humanity is experiencing a global loss of mobility due to extreme isolation, quarantine and social distancing. Now, more than ever before, we need access to our mobility. Prosthetic care is a necessary service and therefore, we still climb!” said ROMP’s Director of Development Lauren Panasewicz. “This climb symbolizes the transfer of mobility directly from our team to ROMP’s patients - vertical feet for prosthetic feet.”
Spanning from Ecuador, the West Coast, the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, the Midwest, Texas, and the East Coast, the teams will each climb an average of 3,300 vertical feet in their seven different locations passing a metaphorical “baton” to the next team, ending in Ecuador where one of ROMP’s clinics is based. Climbing speed record holder Karl Egloff (Denali, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Elbrus) will lead the final leg in Ecuador with the ROMP team.
The team also includes; Caitlin Conner, adaptive model, the first U.S. female amputee boxer, and founder of Be More Adaptive; Scott Davidson, adaptive Tough Mudder athlete and founder of the Living Adaptive podcast; Dee Palagi, adaptive triathlete, and Colton Carlson, double amputee, wounded veteran and Aconcagua climber.
The climbing team has raised more than $50,000 so far for ROMP patients, with the goal to raise $100,000 this year. Over the past six years, ROMP staff, volunteers, and supporters have climbed more than 500 mountains worldwide to benefit amputee patients and to commemorate the anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) as part of the Climbing for ROMP initiative.
“We are in a unique position to leverage our own mobility to help amputees receive prosthetic treatment and technology that they need to redefine their potential,” said ROMP Founder and Executive Director Dave Krupa. “Even though our Cotopaxi climb is not happening this year, we still climb and will continue to climb for our patients. This is our mission.”
To help amputees regain their mobility and donate to the cause, visit https://www.rompglobal.org/westillclimb/
About ROMP:
ROMP is dedicated to providing prosthetic care to amputees who do not have access. ROMP has conducted over 10,000 patient visits, delivered more than 3,800 prosthetic devices, and raised more than $11 million in fundraising and value of in-kind donations since 2005. For more info, visit www.rompglobal.org and follow ROMP on social @rompglobal (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok).
Global Supporters:
Climbing for ROMP is supported by College Park Industries, Dave Rotter Prosthetics, Clif Bar Family Foundation, Ability P&O, Osprey Packs, Agile Orthotics, Fillauer, ST&G Corporation, The Kirstie Ennis Foundation, Cumbre Tours, and Silverline Films.
There are no comments
Please login to post comments