This year I am celebrating my 60th birthday, and along with 16 friends and family members, we will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania this August 5 to 12 and will fundraise for the Arthritis Society. Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and the tallest, free-standing mountain on earth, at 5895 m / 19,341 ft.

Arthritis is a painful and devastating disease that takes away millions of Canadians' ability to work, play, sleep, and live pain free. My mother has suffered from osteoarthritis for decades, my wife for over 10 years with rheumatoid arthritis, and I with osteoarthritis in my knees for over 10 years.

Today, 1 in 5, or 6 million Canadians are affected by arthritis. These numbers are projected to increase to 1 in 4 Canadians, by 2035. That means you or someone you know, may have or will get arthritis. As the prevalence of arthritis increases, so does the demand for investment into cutting-edge research, proactive advocacy, and innovative information and support that will deliver better health outcomes for people affected by arthritis.

This is why I have registered for Move Your Way, in support of raising funds for the Arthritis Society.

Please support me and our team to raise our goal of $38,682 - one dollar for every foot of elevation we climb and one dollar for every foot of elevation we descend - so that we can help create a world where people are free from the devastating effects that arthritis has on lives.

Thank you, very much!
Marcello Chiacchia