Blaine doctor to participate in Big Climb 2019

Big Climb 2019 is set to take place in Seattle on March 24, raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

Blaine doctor Marta Kazymyra once again plans to climb the stairs of the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle to raise money for LLS, which is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer.

She plans to climb with a team of 60 that includes her grandson, A.J. Telles, 12, other local young climbers Griffin Smith, 13, Piper Smith, 11, Cooper Smith, 9, and Ryder Smith, 8, as well as leukemia survivor and Blaine resident Larissa Dhanani.

Dr. Kazymyra is dedicating her climb to Blaine resident and patient Delwin Hodgins, who succumbed to lymphoma in December, after a two-year battle with the disease. Hodgins’ family has now taken up the cause and his daughter-in-law Jaclin has become a member of the team, thus far raising close to $4,000. Hodgins’ wife Caroline has also volunteered to help the team on climb day.

LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

At 788 feet of vertical elevation, the Columbia Center is among the tallest buildings in the region. It takes 69 flights of stairs, or 1,311 steps, to reach the observatory.

In 2018, the Big Climb raised a record-breaking $3,007,080.

Of that amount, $58,995 was raised by Kazymyra’s fundraising team, Larissa’s Crew, named after Dhanani.

Kazymyra and Dhanani have consistently placed in the “Elite 30” for having raised the most in donations out of 6,000 climbers. This is an achievement that they are both very proud of and hope to achieve again this year.

“Since we started climbing in 2012 as Larissa’s Crew, we have raised $292,798 for the LLS,” said Dhanani, who was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and is currently in remission after receiving extensive treatment, including a stem cell transplant from a perfect match, her brother.

Kazymyra said the survival rate for people like her friend Dhanani has gone up, thanks to the important research that is funded by LLS and raised by the Big Climb.

“Most of the money raised stays local, and the impact over the years has been huge,” said Kazymyra. “Blood cancer is no longer considered a death sentence.”

Donations are all 100 percent tax deductible and can be dropped off at the Bay Medical Clinic, 377 C Street. Alternatively, you can donate online at LLSWA.org. Click on the Big Climb, then click donate, and look for the person you wish to donate to from the team Larissa’s Crew. For questions call Marta Kazymyra 360/332-6327 or Larissa Dhanani 360/332-7323.