Chris Sadleir and his father Rob. (Supplied)

By Sheldon Spackman

Walk To Breathe

Alberta man walking from Calgary to Edmonton in support of Lung Association

Aug 6, 2020 | 11:12 AM

An Alberta man is lacing up his walking shoes for the journey of a lifetime.

Chris Sadleir, 45, of Edmonton will be walking roughly 330 kilometres from Calgary to Edmonton starting tomorrow (Aug. 7) and arriving in Edmonton Aug. 17.

Sadleir’s “Walk to Breathe” initiative is in support of The Lung Association of Alberta and NWT, and in tribute of his father. Sadleir’s father is a double-lung transplant recipient who will be behind his son every step of the way, driving the walk’s support vehicle for the entire 11-day journey.

Sadleir says his father’s transplant took place in 2016 after being diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, which has no known cause.

“He was otherwise very healthy,” recalls Sadleir. “He just started having trouble breathing more and more, and long story short – he needed a double-lung transplant for survival. Obviously a pretty big ordeal for him and the family and four years later, I’ve been a very strong supporter of The Lung Association.”

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As a result, the Calgary born and raised Sadleir says he wanted to do something to honour his father and challenge himself at the same time.

“The fundraising target is $22000,” he explains. “That’s symbolic because the average person takes 22000 breaths per day. Last time I checked, we were sitting at about 85 per cent – creeping up on $19000.”

Sadleir says it’s important to note that The Lung Association helps address a wide array of respiratory diseases and is often overlooked for funding and donation dollars.

“The mortality rate is among the highest of any diseases, yet The Lung Association receives about a third of the government funding that it needs to operate properly on an ongoing basis,” he points out. “It’s also to educate people. Millions and millions of people suffer from these ailments that are largely overlooked and so common in so many ways.”

Organ donation is another aspect of his walk that Sadleir wants to highlight over the course of his journey.

“Lung transplant, double-lung transplant, even if you have kidney problems, people don’t realize that all the science in the world is great and you can diagnose something, but if you don’t have the organs, then you’re going to lose people along the way if they can’t get them,” he suggests. “So the importance of that is integral. To still have my father here thanks to a donor, there’s no better time than now, and it’s so easy to do.”

Sadleir, a father himself, notes that his dad is proud of his efforts.

“I have a very good relationship with my father,” he remarks. “The walk is going to be myself. It’s not a group of people, it’s one man walking down the highway with nothing but a support vehicle travelling behind, and the driver of that vehicle is going to be my father and my mother, so it’s going to be a family event.”

Sadleir anticipates his “Walk to Breathe” tour will arrive in Penhold on Aug. 11 and depart for Sylvan Lake Aug. 12 before heading through Bentley and other points north from there.

To donate to Sadleir’s “Walk to Breathe” initiative, visit www.ab.lung.ca/walk2breathe.