THE ASK:
I will attend the USA Climbing 2026 Para Climbing National Championships. This is usually held near early March on the West Coast. I live on the East Coast. I am asking for money to cover travel costs for both that tournament and about 4 smaller tournaments leading up to Nationals. I am able to cover tournament entry costs myself but the travel costs are currently too much - I'm not trying to be greedy $$$ Any extra funds will be donated to ParaCliffHangers who help expand and support the rock climbing community for people with disabilities.
ABOUT ME:
Yep, that me right there. V3 at my gym.
I am an indoor rock climber and I also happen to have a disability. It's not one of those more obvious disabilities like an amputation or paralysis - I have the type of disability that is invisible. I walk through life and most folks don't know I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS) until I tell them (at which point they often fake pass out or get big eyes like a cartoon character. It's actually sorta fun to tell someone for the 1st time. LOL)
Just because you can't see my challenges doesn't make them any less difficult. I struggle every day with fatigue that's like my soul rage-quit and left a sticky note for my body that says 'BRB'. I was diagnosed with dementia before my 42nd birthday because my cognitive abilities were closer to that of someone in their 70's; my light has dimmed. MS increases the severity of my myriad mental health issues and a particularly bad relapse in 2007 left my entire left side affected: weakness, loss of sensation, poor coordination, and more.
"Broken Elbow Beki" and "Bruised/Banged up Beki" are just 2 examples of how weakness and poor coordination affect my rock climbing. (scroll fast if pics of bruises bother you).
MY WHY:
As most of us with disabilities do, I face the world with humor. Dark humor and sarcasm are my personal favs but you do you. I hide away that I can't use my left side well - opting rather to pick up things with my right hand, walk up steps on my right leg, etc. That's why people can't tell - I mask - we all do :) I am SO FORTUNATE to be more able bodied and LESS FORTUNATE to be less able minded. I am ABLE to hide my disability daily, if I so choose. I have that privilege.
But I'm well past hiding it. I know that representation matters. Everyday, I see people struggle thinking they don't deserve help because "someone else has it worse" or they think "I can do things other people can't. That means I don't really need help." That's BS! Just because life is more difficult for others doesn't make it any easier for you or mean you don't need and deserve help.
I hope that others can see me compete in a public tournament, see me ask for help, receive help from friends, family, and strangers and realize that those with invisible disabilities have just as much need and just as much right to ASK FOR HELP. Their struggle may be different but it is not less.
I can only work part-time because of my disability and I've applied for Social Security Disability Benefits. I'm getting the anticipated government red tape and run around. I don't have money to donate to causes, as I have in the past, but I cheerfully donate my time.
MORE ABOUT ME: AKA - Good Things I Do!
1: I volunteer at my local gym every month to help run Adaptive Climbing Meetups in conjunction with the local hospital.
2: I volunteer with USA Climbing Youth Series as a Regional Coordinator. This means I help set up and facilitate tournaments so kids can learn and compete. I volunteer at the Regional, Divisional, and National levels.
3: I volunteer with a children's charity called Odyssey of the Mind that helps kids explore their creativity and learn to be problem-solvers through the use of teamwork, budgeting, time management, public speaking, and so much more.
