UnitedHealthcare elevates lung health advocacy at annual Fight for Air Climb

On April 12, the American Lung Association will host its annual Fight for Air Climb within the stairwells of Chicago’s Prudential Towers. Joining a national movement of 20,000 climbers across 40 cities, UnitedHealthcare is proud to be a presenting sponsor, rallying teams from across the Greater Chicago area to support respiratory health.

“This is our first time since COVID-19 coming back into an indoor stair climb, which is how it originated,” said Mike Telesky, vice president of sales at UnitedHealthcare. “It allows you, in climbing, to think about every breath that people who have asthma, COPD and other lung conditions have to think about every single day.”

The Fight for Air Climb serves as a primary fundraiser for research, education and advocacy benefitting families across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland. As a presenting sponsor, UnitedHealthcare aligns its mission of helping people live healthier lives with a focus on respiratory health in the Region’s industrial and urban corridors. This year marks the first time since the pandemic that participants return to an indoor skyscraper for the challenge.

“Having served on the Lung Association board for 12 years, I’ve seen firsthand how community-based efforts like this can drive awareness, prevention and better outcomes right here at home for us,” Telesky said. “Respiratory health directly affects quality of life.”

The vertical race challenges participants to ascend hundreds of steps within the skyscraper’s internal stairwells to simulate the daily breathing struggles of those with respiratory conditions, such as lung disease, asthma and COPD. The event commences with elite racers, first responders in full gear and families across one or two towers climbing at their own pace. Those who prefer not to climb can still support the mission by volunteering at vendor booths or cheering from the sidelines.

“I live in Valparaiso, and I think we have a unique environmental landscape here,” Telesky said. “I think air quality is an issue that people here understand well with the industrial aspect of our lakefront here. Supporting the Fight for Air Climb creates spaces for us to talk about environmental conditions, workplace exposures and how where we live can shape long-term health outcomes.”

Telesky’s commitment to the cause is deeply personal and stems from a 20-year history as a smoker. The annual event serves as a remarkable way of giving back to the community and supporting clean air and lung health. His 12-year streak includes a memorable virtual climb in Italy during his 20th wedding anniversary. To keep his commitment, he climbed a mountain at dawn while wearing his event T-shirt to ensure he never missed a year of support.

“Personally, it was a way for me to give back,” Telesky said. “Knowing that I had supported Big Tobacco for many years. I wanted to give back to an organization that was fighting not just for that, but also lung health since it aligns with our mission.”

The Fight for Air Climb strengthens company culture and community engagement as teams from UnitedHealthcare, United Health Group and Optum join the race. This collective effort drives the mission of helping people live healthier lives through local research and public health advocacy.

“Putting a team together strengthens our connection to the communities where we live and work,” Telesky said. “Employees are not just representing the company, they are standing alongside our neighbors who are all affected by lung disease. This shared experience helps us build pride, purpose and engagement in the communities that we are honored to serve.”

The 2026 event features participation levels ranging from elite competitive racers to novices and volunteers. This diverse turnout reflects the makeup of the Region and serves as a reminder that lung disease and other breathing conditions do not discriminate. While the 180-floor climb provides a daunting physical challenge, anyone can contribute to the mission by donating, volunteering or cheering from the sidelines.

“You don’t have to climb,” Telesky said. “You can come help cheer on the climbers. You can come climb as an individual or join the team. There are so many ways to get involved.”

For more information on how to get involved and support the Fight for Air Climb, visit the Fight For Air Climb – Chicago page.