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Assistant Principal of Alexis I. dupont High School in Wilmington, Delaware Cristina Kalesse gained national recognition for her fundraising efforts for the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE walks and runs.

The walks and runs are one of the American Lung Association’s signature fundraising events where participants raise awareness and funds to help defeat lung cancer and lung disease.

“Over the course of three years, it’s been over $80,000. Last year, my team and I were able to raise close to $23,000 for LUNG FORCE,” said Cristina.

She received the title of an American Lung Association LUNG FORCE hero but says the true hero is her late husband.

“Back in 2019, my husband at the age of 42 was diagnosed with stage four metastatic lung cancer and was told that he had less than a five percent chance of survival past one year. When Rob passed away in January 2020, it became something that I just felt I needed to continue in his memory.”

This year’s walk is on October 17th in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. For more information about the walk or to find a walk near you, click here.