Woman going over the edge in memory of Lake Zurich grandmother
When Bartlett resident Amanda Rowland steps 127 feet over the edge of theWit Hotel in Chicago on September 13, she won't just be thinking of the long way down. She'll also be thinking of her grandmother, the woman whose memory inspired her to participate in Respiratory Health Association's charity rappel "Skyline Plunge! Chicago."
Skyline Plunge! Chicago is a biannual rappel event in Chicago's Loop that raises funds and awareness for Respiratory Health Association's lung disease research and programs. Amanda signed up in memory of her grandmother, Jeanette Rowland. Jeanette passed away in May 2015 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung disease that causes difficulty breathing and shortness of
breath due to airflow blockage.
"My grandmother got diagnosed with COPD 10 years ago when I was in high school," Amanda said.
"Toward the end she could hardly breathe on her own. It was really painful as her granddaughter to watch that happen."
Even before the COPD was at its worst, Amanda remembers how upset she felt when it affected her grandmother's day-to-day life. Jeanette was a beloved employee at Jewel-Osco in Lake Zurich, but as a petite woman at 90 pounds, she struggled to keep up with the customers and job she cherished once she had to carry a supplemental oxygen tank around.
"My grandmother was a tough and stubborn woman," Amanda said. "I know it bothered her to have to carry the oxygen around, but she never talked about it."
Despite Amanda's grandmother staying quiet about her disease for so long, after she passed away, Amanda knew she had to do something in her honor. Amanda chose to support Respiratory Health Association with her rappel because of what the lung health nonprofit does in the community.
"I like Respiratory Health Association's education programs about smoking cessation and helping people become aware of the long-term effects of smoking," Amanda said, adding that her grandmother was a longtime smoker until her diagnosis of COPD. "Obviously lung disease is not just COPD and it's not just a smoker's disease, but all my family is really happy I'm doing this in my grandmother's honor."
Amanda will rappel 27 stories as her family and friends support her at the bottom of theWit Hotel, at the corner of State and Lake streets in downtown Chicago. Her goal with her rappel is to raise $1,500 for Respiratory Health Association. You can offer her words of encouragement or support her fundraising efforts at lungchicago.org/amandarowland.
If you are interested in signing up for Skyline Plunge! Chicago, visit lungchicago.org/skyline-plunge to learn more.