Support the Katz family as they Climb for a Cure.  Victoria Katz (Tori), age 13, is raising money for the International Rett Syndrome Foundation as part of her mitzvah project, a tribute to Jessie Lebson, a family friend struggling with the disorder. Her sister Abigail, age 15, who volunteers with Friendship Circle works with a Stamford resident with Rett syndrome will join her in the climb and fundraising. The Climb for a Cure 2 team will leave on June 6th and will summit on the 13th of June.  The two teen girls will be joined by their oldest sister, Jillian, age 17, and their mother, Laura, who climbed in 2008 raising $40,000 for IRSF.

"We climb for the girls who can't"

~ Jillian Katz

The Katz girls will ascend Africa’s highest peak, the 19,340 foot Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.  Each step will help the nonprofit IRSF fund research and a cure for Rett Syndrome, a neurological disorder (found mostly in girls) that seriously impairs speech, mobility, sensory sensation, autonomic function and cognitive learning.

"The challenges and obstacles on Kilimanjaro do not compare to challenges that girls with Rett Syndrome face."

~ Tori Katz

The Katz girls became aware of IRSF from family friends Sean and Lisa Lebson, parents of Jessie now age 14.  Diagnosed at age 2 with Rett, Jessie cannot talk, feed herself or walk independently.  “She has no way of communicating”, says Jillian, “but there is someone inside there.”

“I know the summit night climb will be challenging, cold and dark, but I can’t wait to see the sun rise from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.” 

- Abby Katz

The June adventure will take eight days to hike from the bottom, a desert to the summit, which is a snow covered glacier.

“I am excited to follow in my sister’s footsteps of climbing Kilimanjaro for Rett Syndrome and trying to raise more money for research.” 

~ Tori Katz

Though the climb is technically not as challenging as when climbing the high peaks of the Himalayas or Andes, the high elevation, low temperature, and occasional high winds make this a difficult and challenging trek.  Acclimatisation is essential, and even then most experienced trekkers can suffer some degree of altitude sickness.

“Working with Zoe for over a year and seeing her smile while playing has given me the motivation to climb for girls like her.” 

~ Abby Katz