Markiewicz Dental, a suburban Mundelein dental office, has made a significant contribution to the American Lung Association’s 15th annual Fight For Air Climb Chicago. The event, locally presented by UnitedHealthcare, saw the dental office's climb team, Team ElizaBreath, raise over $33,000 to aid those battling lung disease. The fundraising effort was in honor of Elizabeth Markiewicz, wife of Tony Markiewicz and her brave fight against lung disease. Elizabeth underwent a double lung transplant less than two weeks ago and is currently recuperating at Northwestern Hospital.
Elizabeth was diagnosed with lung disease in 2017. A severe flare-up of her Interstitial Lung Disease last November left her in end-stage lung disease with no realistic prospect of recovery without a transplant.
The Markiewicz family expressed their gratitude towards the donor family and the Northwestern transplant team for giving Elizabeth another chance at life. They emphasized how crucial organ donation can be for individuals struggling with failing lungs.
“Last year Elizabeth and I did this event together. We always planned to climb this year, but obviously her health didn’t allow her to participate,” said Tony Markiewicz. “The ALA is the go-to resource for lung health and lung disease education. It is one of the leading organizations to advocate for legislation to protect air quality and to provide resources for individuals and families struggling with lung disease. Speaking firsthand, we often relied on ALA resources.”
Elizabeth has been an active supporter of the American Lung Association since the 90s, participating in climbing events regularly. Her son suffers from asthma while her father had battled lung cancer.
Elizabeth's sisters Gloria Kas and Diana Palmer are currently leading as top fundraisers in the Climb event with Team ElizaBreath ranking as the top team fundraiser at $33,052.
Tony Markiewicz along with Gloria Kas and Diana Palmer will be present at Sunday’s Climb at Soldier Field and are open for interviews. Interview requests can be directed to Janye Killelea at [email protected] or by calling (312) 940-7624.
