Woman Vows To Climb 56 Floors, Twice, In Father's Memory After Cancer Battle

DENVER (CBS4)- For the fifth year in a row, a young woman from Denver will spend the first Sunday in March climbing 56 floors. Stephanie Grover will participate in the American Lung Association's Fight for Air Climb at Republic Plaza downtown to raise awareness and money to fight lung disease.

Stephanie climbs in Denver's Fight for Air Climb for her father who died of lung cancer. Team Grover started with just Stephanie. It has grown to 23 members. Stephanie is deaf, but her message comes across loud and clear.

"I would love to see, one day, the world wiped out of cancer," she told CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh.

It's personal for Stephanie. Twenty-three years ago her father, Larry, died of lung cancer. From diagnosis to death was just 5 weeks.

"My father passed at 54," she said.

In losing her dad, Stephanie found a cause. She has "Run the Rocks" to raise money for the American Lung Association in Colorado (ALA). On March 3, she'll tackle her fifth ALA Fight for Air Climb which is 1,098 steps up Republic Plaza.

"Last year, I did one time. I plan on doing it two times this year; up, down and then up again," said an enthusiastic Stephanie.

The first year, the 42-year-old raced up alone. This year, Team Grover is 23 strong and includes her best friend, Rachel Berman, who is also deaf.

"As a deaf person, I'm very involved in the deaf community, but it's nice to be involved in a different level, you know, something related to health," said Rachel.

"She's very passionate and motivated to do it," added Stephanie.

The pair posted a YouTube video, signing for donations from the top of Mount Sanitas.

Stephanie, who suffers from exercise-induced asthma, can do the climb in 11 minutes. Rachel wants to finish in under 20 minutes. But it's not about speed.

"The coolest aspect is, in every step we take, we're going a little bit further just to raise awareness and money," explained Stephanie.

Stephanie climbs in loving memory of her father, Larry, taken too soon.

Team Grover's goal this year is to raise $5,000 to fight lung disease.

LINKS: 2019 Anthem Fight For Air Climb | Help Rachel | Help Stephanie