Man on a mission A former army soldier with barely one functioning lung is planning to climb the world's tallest free-standing mountain.
Adam Faatz, a 36-year-old American man, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and hopes to scale Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa in January to raise money for charity and awareness of respiratory diseases that kill hundreds of thousands of people. There is no cure for pulmonary fibrosis, and life expectancy, for most, is about five years, Faatz says. “I know I’m in the 1% that have already outlived that prognosis, so why not spend whatever time I have left to raise money for the charities who are trying to help.” The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ are among the charities Adam is helping to raise funds to support. Adam’s disease was discovered by accident when the damage had already been done. It is believed to be a result of the burn pits used in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was deployed as a US Army solider. At the time of discovery, in 2018, surgeons had to remove most of his left lung. The disease has now spread to his right lung. “After my diagnosis, I felt like I didn’t have a purpose,” Faatz says. “It contributed to my mental health struggles, it drained bank accounts, caused anxiety and depression, and made me feel isolated. I felt numb.
“I know what it’s like to suffer, but I also know that you can overcome it." “I just needed help, and now I want to help others." To come to terms with his diagnosis, Faatz turned to the outdoors and became the first person with pulmonary fibrosis to climb New York’s Mt Marcy.
ADAM FAATZ
#OUTOFAIRAROUNDTHEWORLD 14 Better Breathing
