Walk to Breathe organizer calling for support

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on July 19, 2022.

Herald file photo by Dale Woodard Chris Sadleir at the start of his Walk To Breathe campaign last year in Lethbridge. The Edmonton resident is looking for help to continue to make his Lung Association fundraiser a success, after health issues have forced him to move the initiative to an online event.

After two years, 840 kilometres and raising nearly $100,000, the 2022 version of the Walk to Breathe has been forced to change and the organizer is calling for Albertans to keep the event alive.

Edmonton’s Chris Sadleir, who is the heart and soul of the event, received a doctor’s recommendation of sitting out the 2022 event due to his arthritis and struggles with mobility issues, and as a result is calling on provincial residents to keep the vital fundraising event going.

“I’m usually a few days into the walk by now, so it’s disappointing,” says Sadleir. “I pushed the start as late as I could into summer, awaiting results from X-rays and CT scans. Unfortunately, there is some genuine concern and need for attention.”

While unable to participate, Sadlier is now shifting the event into an online province-wide virtual walk from Sept. 1-10. Traditionally, Sadlier has completed his fundraising walk between Lethbridge and Edmonton.

“This year was not the year to push the envelope,” he said.

“But I want to keep that momentum going. So it’s taken a little bit of a different route this year with the full hope and expectation that we can come back bigger and better for 2023. In fact with Alberta Lung rebranding this year their organization, in that realm, it might have been good to take the year off too. But keep something going in a little bit different form and that’s what’s forthcoming this year as well.”

He walked from Lethbridge to Edmonton last year and it turned out to be a huge success.

“I was very happy with the people that we met, the stories that were told, the inroads that we made and really connecting with people last year,” said Sadlier.

“The finish line last year was the fifth anniversary of my dad’s lung transplant – it was significant there. A lot of people thought that was sort of the symbolism that would be the final year. I never said it would be, it just depended on how I felt and how things could come together.”

Details will be released soon on this year’s version of the walk and more information can be found at http://www.ablung.ca.

Funds raised will continue to support many crucial and necessary programs, in particular the need to build Canada’s first lung health and transplant home called Breathing Space.

Alberta Lung receives little to no funding outside of donations from Albertans just like Sadlier, events like this are very much a requirement to allow them to continue providing the support and service to Albertans like his father Rob – the very personal inspiration behind his own Walk to Breathe.