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chrisbloch
Boulder climber
Orinda, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 23, 2008 - 02:22pm PT
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Everyone,
Once again, the climbing community is coming together to help a fellow climber in need. Rowan is a climber, musician, and father, many of you have probably climbed with him at one time or another.
He worked at CityRock and Berkeley Ironworks for 9 years as a route-setter, climbing instructor, and kids coach. With a maverick approach to making your way up the wall, Rowan’s reputation as a route-setter still follows him today. He could make any grade interesting. Climbers who have experienced a “Rowan route” always have a story that usually goes something like “Remember that one green route on the elbow at CityRock?” Currently, Rowan works for Mountain Hardwear, keeping him close to the sport he loves, and the people he loves to do it with.
As a musician, Rowan has had a successful career as the lead singer of Orixa, an alternative rock/rock en español combo that draws from a multitude of styles, including rock, reggae, hip hop, Brazilian, funk and Afro-Latino. His energy on stage is electric, his vocals explosive. In 2001 Orixa received a California Music Award for “Outstanding Latin Album” and the ASCAP Latino Award for “Best Independent Group.” The band is on hiatus until Rowan gets his new lungs, when we can expect Orixa to hit the stage once again!
Rowan was diagnosed with scleroderma about six years ago, and has been quietly fighting the disease with the help of his doctors at the U.C.S.F. Medical Center, and his family. Now the disease has progressed to a critical point, and Rowan needs a lung transplant to remain with us. The good news is that he is on the transplant list, and is an excellent candidate for transplant due to his health and strength. The bad news is the cost of such a procedure is in excess of $800K!! He needs your help to raise the necessary funds to make his transplant a reality.
At the present time, there is no cure for scleroderma, but there
are many treatments available. In Rowan’s case, while he needs a new set of lungs to keep him alive, once he receives them his doctors will be able to keep the disease in check and he will go back to living a normal life. The most remarkable thing is that the disease cannot develop in the new lungs since scleroderma is an automimmune condition and his body will not recognize the tissue of the new organ. To learn more about scleroderma visit www.scleroderma.org.
For more information about Rowan, to read his blog, and watch short videos of how he is coping please visit www.rowanjimenez.com. There you will also find links to benefit funds that have been set up to help Rowan financially.
There is a benefit bouldering competition at Berkeley Ironworks, in Berkeley, CA, November 1st with all the proceeds going toward Rowan's medical expenses. Other events are planned in the coming months as well.
This is a difficult time for Rowan’s family and friends, and any support anyone can give is appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris Bloch
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Aug 23, 2008 - 05:02pm PT
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Godamn it. Good luck Rowan!
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Aug 23, 2008 - 07:59pm PT
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Maybe there can be some sort of a fund-raiser at the Facelift...or at least a jar for donations.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Aug 23, 2008 - 09:06pm PT
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hey there ... in the light of such hard and sad news... i will pray..... being that, when one has no money or resources, or folks in the know-----one can pray and still do some good.... i will do that part.... :)
thanks for sharing...
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tr4
climber
Jah Meadows,ynp,ca
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Aug 23, 2008 - 09:33pm PT
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Wow, I met him like 10 years ago bouldering in queen Creek AZ. what a nice guy I always remembered him. My best wishes to Rowan!
TED
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Aug 25, 2008 - 05:55pm PT
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bump
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Brutus of Wyde
climber
Old Climbers' Home, Oakland CA
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Aug 25, 2008 - 09:03pm PT
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Insurance is Community with the heart cut out of it and profit sewn in its place.
Hopefully our community (The one with heart) will come through again.
Just sent a check off to the NTAF Southwest Lung Transplant Fund for Rowan.
Hang in there, Rowan.
Brutus, remembering Cityrock days
oh, and BUMP.
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chrisbloch
Boulder climber
Richmond, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 26, 2008 - 12:19am PT
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Thanks for the good vibes everyone. If anyone has a cool idea for a fundraiser, or just wants to help out, feel free to get in touch with me.
Thanks,
Chris
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Rockhopper
Sport climber
California
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Aug 26, 2008 - 07:13pm PT
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Chris,
Thanks for the posting.
I will be at the Novemeber event to help out.
I am looking forward to helping out and hearing Rowan tell stories about this in the far future (Rowan is a great story teller).
Look forward to seeing lots of folks at tye event.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Aug 31, 2008 - 11:29pm PT
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Chris Mac or Melissa, Is it possible to post a donation address on this thread? Quite a few on ST do not like to do the links.
Thanks, Lynne
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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Aug 31, 2008 - 11:37pm PT
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this info gathered from rowanjimenez.com, good idea of someone to suggest that it be posted here.
__
Donation Information
I have set up a fund through an organization called the National Transplant Assistance Fund to collect donations to pay for medical expenses not covered by my insurance. NTAF is a nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for over twenty years. All contributions are administered by NTAF exclusively for uninsured transplant-related expenses. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
To make a donation:
Make checks payable to:
NTAF Southwest Lung Transplant Fund
Note in memo section:
In Honor of Rowan Jimenez
Send to:
National Transplant Assistance Fund
150 N. Radnor Chester Road,
Suite F-120
Radnor, PA 19087
If possible, we appreciate donations made by check, however, to make a credit card donation, please call NTAF at 800-642-8399
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Sascha
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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Wow... thanks for posting this, Chris. I sure remember Rowan's brilliant routes at Cityrock! I'll try to spread the word up here in the North Bay; hope we get a great turnout on Nov 1.
-Sascha
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Maysho
climber
Truckee, CA
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Rowan is such a cool dude. I remember when we all first met him while working at CityRock many of us would go over to the nearby Noahs Bagel shop, where Rowan worked, he got curious about who we all were and why we were so focused on scoring bagels out of the dumpster at the end of each day, (I paid my people pretty well, but scrappy climber habits die hard!) Anyway, someone enticed him to come check out our climbing scene a block away, and soon he got interested and it seemed like suddenly he was a regular and a very strong boulderer, then he came to work for us, and was a well-loved-by-all, member of the team.
He is a kick ass musician, you should check out myspace.com/orixa for info on his great band.
Thanks for posting this Chris (and howdy!) and kudos to Ironworks for hosting this benefit event, I will be there.
And Rowan my friend, I know your attitude and spirit and some help from your big community can pull you through this. Hang in there!
Peter
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aida.wedo
Mountain climber
bishop
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As another old school (circa late 90s) City Rocker, I can vouch for Rowan being an all around great guy.
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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You know, I met Rowan at Sunset Boulders in the mid '90s. We climbed together all day and with his encouragement and crazy psych I finally ticked some projects I had been working on. But more memorable was his kind spirit and personality. A couple years later I moved to Berkeley and got to know him at City Rock and then Iron Works. I can't speak highly enough of him and encourage everyone to do what they can to help.
-Jerry
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Matt
Trad climber
primordial soup
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Sep 15, 2008 - 11:00pm PT
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Rowan got the call last night, and had successful lung transplant surgery early this morning!
Congratulations to Rowan and his family!
Please send out your positive thoughts and prayers for a rapid, smooth, and successful recovery!
For those of us that know and care about Rowan (and of course Heather and Kaya), let's rally around them and get the word out that we are now fund-raising for concrete medical bills...
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LuckyPink
climber
the last bivy
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Sep 15, 2008 - 11:28pm PT
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I hope Rowan knows of Stacy Collver in the south bay, a climber who recovered from a double lung transplant in 2004. Stacy chaired the Bay Are chapter of She Climbs for many years. She has been a huge inspiration for so many athletes.
http://www.windsongfoundation.org/index.htm
I don't know the south bay gyms very well but she has been a regular in Mt View (Twisters, was it?? Planet Granite?)
best wishes to Rowan
LP
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chrisbloch
Boulder climber
Richmond, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 15, 2008 - 11:38pm PT
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Rowan Received New Lungs Today!
Hello everyone and thanks for supporting Rowan!
Today Rowan is alive and well, and recovering from lung transplant surgery! Last night around 8pm, he got the call from UCSF that a suitable donor had become available, and he needed to be there in two hours. Arriving around 9:30pm with Heather, his brother Juan, and yours truly, he began the long wait for surgery. While we thought he would go right in, they needed to do a lot of prep work, and we ended up saying our goodbyes around 3:30am. It turned out, the surgery started at 5:19am and lasted about 7 hours. He had no complications at all. In fact the doctors said the surgery was "routine," as if there is a routine lung transplant...He is now resting in the intensive cardiac care unit at UCSF medical center. He is sedated and they probably won't wake him up until tomorrow sometime. They said he could be up and walking around tomorrow evening! Sorry, no visitors until he gets out of the ICU. I will keep you posted as to when he can have visitors.
Thanks to everyone who has helped out thus far, we have raised over $30k just from Facebook, Rowan's blog site, email, and word of mouth!! We still have a long way to go, as Rowan now faces a lengthy recovery. The Full Lung Capacity comp is looking good, with well over $10k in prizes coming in, and it now will be even more fun as we will be celebrating the fact Rowan has his Full Lung Capacity!!
Hope to see you all at the comp on November 1st. Please buy a t-shirt, check the blog, and send good vibes Rowan's way as he gets well!
Thanks,
Chris Bloch
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Sep 15, 2008 - 11:44pm PT
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hey there... wow... such wonderful news for him, to get the lung-surgery and have it all done now...
when dreams come true, sometimes there are just no words... but grateful hearts abound in humble joy...
god bless, as rowan and family and friends enjoy this time together...
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ct
climber
CO
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Sep 16, 2008 - 12:42am PT
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What amazing, wonderful news. Warm wishes for Rowan from the front range.
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AndyO
Social climber
Brooklyn, NY
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Sep 16, 2008 - 09:05am PT
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That is amazing news!!!!!
I saw Rowan on Saturday night, stopped by for dinner with Rowan and Heather and some friends while I was in the Bay Area. As always, I was amazed at the resilience and positive attitude that Rowan (and Heather) have maintained throughout this whole ordeal.
Just before leaving town yesterday afternoon, I called to say goodbye, and Heather answered the phone and gave me the good news.
Speedy recovery, primo!
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chrisbloch
Boulder climber
Richmond, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 17, 2008 - 10:00pm PT
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Update #2
Today Rowan took a little walk around the ICU with no supplemental oxygen! His recovery is speedier than expected, and he will be getting discharged from the ICU tomorrow, and will be in a room down the hall. The doctors want him walking a mile within the next few days, so his body can adapt to the new lungs. He is in good spirits, joking around with the nurses, and is grateful for all the well wishes and good vibes people have been sending his way.
Heather may post photos of Rowan on his blog site in the next couple of days. You can check them out here http://rowanjimenez.blogspot.com/
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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Sep 17, 2008 - 10:49pm PT
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This is so AWESOME! Thanks for the news Chris.
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