Help Micah Reach Paraclimbing Nationals!
Donation protected
On June 19th, one of our Soulsenders, Micah Winkle, will be traveling to Salt Lake City for the Paraclimbing National Championships!
If you’re a climber in Memphis, you likely know Micah as one of those youth team kid crushers that’ll likely flash your project. What most people don’t know, however, is that Micah is a paraclimber, and a cancer survivor, too.
Yet this kid crusher is sending 8’s with a titanium left hip and femur, 50% muscle loss in left leg, and significant range of motion restrictions. But because of his character and persistenty positive attitude, most climbers would never know. You’ll rarely see him use his left foot on a hold, and provably never see it in a heel hook or toe hook position, but those who know him well would tell you that he’s never been one to complain or let “left-leggy” beta stop him.
For a young man who had just over a 20% chance of survival when diagnosed, the importance of climbing in Micah’s life can’t be understated. It’s been a way to deal with and move forward from the trauma of fighting cancer. It’s kept him motivated to develop as an athlete and to build strength, despite the disability. It’s been the only sport that’s “stuck,” and been the center of his social life and friendships for the last three years.
The persistence and character developed through a battle with cancer had in many ways prepared Micah for the challenges he would face in his journey as a climber. Micah found climbing only a few months after a total hip replacement, but was immediately hooked nonetheless. As he recovered from that surgery, his early challenges were learning to place his left foot on holds despite the lack of coordination from extensive nerve damage, as well as learning to read alternative betas as a new climber that would be possible without the use of his left leg.
After several months of progress, a worst case scenario unfolded; Micah had dislocated his hip while climbing, and was locked onto the wall afraid to fall. Titanium grinding against bone and muscle, the pain of the experience would be for many the end of their climbing. For Micah, keeping in character, it only increased his dedication to the sport. Soon after he joined the youth climbing team at Memphis Rox, and began working with coaches and teammates to discover new technique and movement, and began dreaming of a professional career as a paraclimber.
Like Micah, his family has found their strengths and purpose through the adversity they faced fighting alongside Micah for his survival. After a career in international humanitarian aid, they left all of their belongings abroad and moved to Memphis to receive care from St. Jude. After shouldering the initial medical debts of Micah’s early treatment, this family of six completely started over in a new city and home across the world from where they had built their lives. But like Micah, the family responded with resilience, reflecting on their experiences and hardships to assist and support other St. Jude families. Since then, Jason, Micah’s dad, has continued to volunteer as a parent-advisor, a mentor, and a advocate for St. Jude families.
It was at a St. Jude fundraiser in California where Jason had been asked to speak about his family’s experience when Tom Shadyac personally invited him to visit the climbing gym he was building, Memphis Rox. Tom explained the mission and that no one would be excluded by pay, and for the financially-burdened family, that was key. Little did they know that climbing would play such a crucial role in Micah’s recovery, and * fingers crossed * career.
Now, as the climbing community of Memphis, and the broader community of climbers supporting the Mission of Memphis Rox, is our turn to pay it forward and enable Micah to travel to the Paraclimbing Nationals. The event is June 18-20th and we are raising $2000 to assist Micah and 2 adults in travel, lodging, time off work, and competition expenses. The national paraclimbing event is Micah’s first and only opportunity to compete as a paraclimber, and participation in the event will be a huge step forward in his career goals. Success in this venue will qualify him for World Cup competitions.
No one should be turned away from climbing, or a career in climbing, based on inability to pay. We firmly believe that, which is why we are asking for your help to make this opportunity possible for Micah. Please consider donating below. If donating is not within your means, please consider sharing this page and promoting Micah's story to a broader audience.
If you’re a climber in Memphis, you likely know Micah as one of those youth team kid crushers that’ll likely flash your project. What most people don’t know, however, is that Micah is a paraclimber, and a cancer survivor, too.
Yet this kid crusher is sending 8’s with a titanium left hip and femur, 50% muscle loss in left leg, and significant range of motion restrictions. But because of his character and persistenty positive attitude, most climbers would never know. You’ll rarely see him use his left foot on a hold, and provably never see it in a heel hook or toe hook position, but those who know him well would tell you that he’s never been one to complain or let “left-leggy” beta stop him.
For a young man who had just over a 20% chance of survival when diagnosed, the importance of climbing in Micah’s life can’t be understated. It’s been a way to deal with and move forward from the trauma of fighting cancer. It’s kept him motivated to develop as an athlete and to build strength, despite the disability. It’s been the only sport that’s “stuck,” and been the center of his social life and friendships for the last three years.
The persistence and character developed through a battle with cancer had in many ways prepared Micah for the challenges he would face in his journey as a climber. Micah found climbing only a few months after a total hip replacement, but was immediately hooked nonetheless. As he recovered from that surgery, his early challenges were learning to place his left foot on holds despite the lack of coordination from extensive nerve damage, as well as learning to read alternative betas as a new climber that would be possible without the use of his left leg.
After several months of progress, a worst case scenario unfolded; Micah had dislocated his hip while climbing, and was locked onto the wall afraid to fall. Titanium grinding against bone and muscle, the pain of the experience would be for many the end of their climbing. For Micah, keeping in character, it only increased his dedication to the sport. Soon after he joined the youth climbing team at Memphis Rox, and began working with coaches and teammates to discover new technique and movement, and began dreaming of a professional career as a paraclimber.
Like Micah, his family has found their strengths and purpose through the adversity they faced fighting alongside Micah for his survival. After a career in international humanitarian aid, they left all of their belongings abroad and moved to Memphis to receive care from St. Jude. After shouldering the initial medical debts of Micah’s early treatment, this family of six completely started over in a new city and home across the world from where they had built their lives. But like Micah, the family responded with resilience, reflecting on their experiences and hardships to assist and support other St. Jude families. Since then, Jason, Micah’s dad, has continued to volunteer as a parent-advisor, a mentor, and a advocate for St. Jude families.
It was at a St. Jude fundraiser in California where Jason had been asked to speak about his family’s experience when Tom Shadyac personally invited him to visit the climbing gym he was building, Memphis Rox. Tom explained the mission and that no one would be excluded by pay, and for the financially-burdened family, that was key. Little did they know that climbing would play such a crucial role in Micah’s recovery, and * fingers crossed * career.
Now, as the climbing community of Memphis, and the broader community of climbers supporting the Mission of Memphis Rox, is our turn to pay it forward and enable Micah to travel to the Paraclimbing Nationals. The event is June 18-20th and we are raising $2000 to assist Micah and 2 adults in travel, lodging, time off work, and competition expenses. The national paraclimbing event is Micah’s first and only opportunity to compete as a paraclimber, and participation in the event will be a huge step forward in his career goals. Success in this venue will qualify him for World Cup competitions.
No one should be turned away from climbing, or a career in climbing, based on inability to pay. We firmly believe that, which is why we are asking for your help to make this opportunity possible for Micah. Please consider donating below. If donating is not within your means, please consider sharing this page and promoting Micah's story to a broader audience.
Organizer
Kaje Simpson
Organizer
Memphis, TN