One Pella family continues to raise funds and awareness for lung disease.

Paul and Emily Haase will participate in the annual Fight for Air Climb in Des Moines on Sunday, April 9th.

Emily tells KNIA/KRLS News she’s continued to participate each year with “Team Emily” because the cause is close to her heart.

“I started in the Fight for Air Climb because of my dad,” she says. “He was diagnosed with lung cancer, and in 2012, he passed away from lung cancer, and so it’s very important to me that other people don’t have to go through that.”

Paul, who serves as a lieutenant in the Pella PD, says last year he helped form a team for the department, as law enforcement officers are often impacted by lung disease.

“There are several different ways that law enforcement officers have come into contact with lung disease, whether it’s through cleaning up meth labs, or exposure during fire calls, or just exposure on the general job–it is something that happens to law enforcement officers as well,” he says.

The Pella Fire Department, Pella Police, and Team Emily are local teams all raising funds and awareness for the American Lung Association.

Donate to:
Team Emily
Pella Police
Pella Fire