FREDERICKTOWN — Firefighter Jason Bostic of the Fredericktown Community Fire District will participate for the second time in the Scott Firefighting Stairclimb benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Over 1,300 firefighters are expected to compete in this year’s 17th annual timed climb, which takes firefighters in full gear up 69 floors to the top of Columbia Center in Seattle.
The climb is a highly personal one for the 29-year-old Bostic. In 1986, his mother, Peggy Bostic, was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia. The disease almost took her life.
At the time she was diagnosed, Peggy was the mother of two small children ages 4 and 8. She was 37 years old.
“The doctor said, ‘You have leukemia,’” she recalls. “And I said, ‘No, I don’t. I’ve never been sick a day in my life.’”
She began rigorous courses of chemo to kill the cancer, and over the next four years had over 100 blood transfusions to remove the excess, mutated white blood cells her bone marrow kept producing. Instead of fighting infection as white blood cells are supposed to do, the mutated cells caused symptoms such as excruciating pain as the bone marrow expanded and swelled.
A bone marrow transplant is the best treatment for CML, but none of Peggy’s family was a match for a transplant. In 1990, a non-related donor was found in the Netherlands. The transplant was performed at Ohio State University Medical Center, the first of its kind at that hospital. She is now in long-term remission. Peggy said although she would like to have been able to thank the donor for helping to save her life, transplant information is kept confidential, so she does not know any personal information about the donor.
Jason, who works full time for the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County, and has been with Fredericktown Fire Department for five years, said when he heard about the stairclimb, “it just clicked.”
Last year’s climb raised over $365,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is the world’s largest individual firefighter competition. Wearing 50 to 70 pounds of turnout gear, helmet, breathing apparatus and air tank, the firefighters race up 1,311 steps to the top. At 788 feet high, the Columbia Center in Seattle is the second-tallest building west of the Mississippi.
Jason said training for the event is rigorous. Last year, he was unsure if he was even ready.
“I had never done anything like that before. I had no way of knowing if I was 100 percent ready, “he said. “Mental preparation is a big part of preparation.”
Peggy said that when she learned of her son’s intent to take part in a fund-raiser thousands of miles away to honor her, she was moved.
“I was surprised, but I was sure if he was wanting to do it, he’d make it. He’s been very determined ever since he was little,” she said.
Jason said training for the event helped him get into better physical shape. He trains four times a week at the YMCA in Mount Vernon, wearing a weighted vest on machines that mimic the stairclimbing action. But, he said, the actual punishment 1,311 real steps puts on knees, legs and back while wearing 70 pounds of cumbersome gear is something that can not be practiced.
“Being able to keep that much weight on you for that amount of time while climbing is a challenge,” Jason said.
Jason’s wife, Jennifer, said she is thrilled he will participate in the stairclimb, which is so personal to him, again this year.
“I’m very supportive, and very excited,” said Jennifer.
Last year, Jason finished the 68 flights in 52 minutes.
“My goal this year is beating my last year’s time,” he said. “I’d like to knock 15 to 20 minutes off last year’s time.”
Support from his fellow firefighters has meant a lot to Jason.
“Our department really is supportive. I had the chief’s support from the beginning,” he said.
From financial pledges to special permission to travel out of the district with his fire department gear for the event, Jason said he appreciates all the department has done to get behind him.
“Being a firefighter is more than driving the firetrucks around,” said Assistant Chief Larry Schunke. “We’ll support things that help the community.”
“This stairclimb is something that is very personal to Jason,” said Chief Scott Mast, adding that the firefighters’ association and individual firefighters have made pledges to support Bostic’s efforts.
Fellow firefighter John Watts said he is impressed with Bostic’s determination.
“That stairclimb, that’s quite a feat just to finish something like that,” Watts said.
“It’s definitely for a good cause,” firefighter Mike Daley said. “We try to support each other.”
“This is a family up here. It really shows when it comes to things like this,” Jason said of the support the other firefighters have given.
Last year his climb raised over $1,200 through pledges. His goal this year is to raise that to $1,500. He has set up a Web site for secure donations which can be accessed through www.fredericktownfire.net.
“No donation is too small or too large for this event,” said Jason.
Peggy Bostic said an important thing to remember is that 4,570 new cases of CML were diagnosed last year, and she hates to think of other families enduring what hers did. But she said she is grateful for the lifesaving gift she received from a stranger in a country where she’s never been, and said she is very proud of her son’s efforts to help other people beat the same disease.