Cardiac Climbers
Founded in 1990 , the Courage Classic is an annual , two-day cycling fundraiser that brings together riders , volunteers , sponsors , friends and families to support Children ’ s Colorado . Routes range from 12 to 79 miles that wind through the beautiful Rocky Mountains . Each adult rider fundraises a minimum of $ 500 , and all proceeds benefit the Heart Institute . The funds are used directly for research and innovation , trainee and nursing education , and to support patients and families .
In 2023 , the Cardiac Climbers fielded a team of 107 riders and many volunteers , raising over $ 138,000 . The Cardiac Climbers ' motto is “ For us , it ’ s personal .” And it is . These cyclists are also cardiologists , surgeons , advanced practice providers , nurses , sonographers , parents , siblings , friends and former Heart Institute patients , who all gather to tackle one of Colorado ’ s toughest road cycling tours , the Courage Classic .
2023 commemorated the 70th anniversary of open heart surgery at Children ' s Colorado . Christel Walrath , 71 years old , underwent atrial septal defect ( ASD ) closure in 1953 — long before open heart surgery was regularly performed . Hailing from Laramie , Wyoming , Walrath rode both days of the Courage Classic and was able to celebrate with the team at their Saturday picnic . Today , an ASD closure is performed regularly by a noninvasive method called cardiac catheterization , a testament to the advances in research and medicine . Often , patients may even return home the next day .
Overall , the Courage Classic is the single largest fundraising event for Children ’ s Hospital Colorado , having raised more than $ 60 million since its inception . As a nonprofit hospital , these funds are crucial to the 300,000 patients we treat annually .
2023 Annual Report
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