Starting at 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 22, people across multiple states gathered at Soldier Field in Chicago for a special purpose: to support and honor those with lung disease by participating in Chicago’s Fight For Air Climb. Participants signed up for the event for $35 online and $50 at the door — which contributed to the goal of raising $438,000 for American Lung Association — and took on the challenge of climbing Soldier Field’s 1,600 stairs.

UnitedHealthcare Fight For Air Climb 2025

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With the daunting task of ascending 1,600 stairs at Soldier Field ahead of them, many participants chose to take on the challenge as teams, contributing to the uplifting atmosphere that pervaded the event.
“Everyone comes here for a reason. There’s always a personal connection,” Cheryl Jenkins-Peterson, director of network management at UnitedHealthcare, said. “Each year, this event brings us together and it’s always something special. People share heartfelt stories about loved ones affected by lung disease or lung cancer. It’s such a meaningful event, and I am grateful to everyone who came out today.”
With $3,470 contributed to support American Lung Association through the Fight For Air Climb, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) was a proud presenting sponsor of the event, one of the top 10 teams, and one of the top five companies. This is the 16th annual Fight For Air Climb, and it’s not the first year UHC has sponsored and participated in the event. UHC Vice President of Sales, Mike Telesky, is proud of UHC’s continued involvement in the Fight For Air Climb and how it brings the community together for good.
“We’ve sponsored this incredibly important event for over 10 years now. Our mission is to help people live healthier lives, and that is also a goal and a mission of the American Lung Association,” Telesky said. “Our missions align closely, so by supporting their great work in the fight against lung disease, we’re working together toward a healthier community for all.” 
The financial support and team camaraderie were major highlights of the Fight For Air Climb in Chicago, and these highlights were echoed across Fight For Air Climb events across the nation, including states like Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and more.
“There’s over 37 climbs throughout the nation and this event really helps create awareness on lung health, education around resources for those impacted by lung disease, really helping us raise critical funds to go towards research and advocacy,” Danielle Trojanek, executive director of the American Lung Association, said. “We’re here for a day of celebrating those that have been impacted by lung disease, and their loved ones. And we’re here to celebrate all of those that are currently fighting this terrible disease.” 
For more information about UnitedHealthcare and its involvement in various fundraising events, visit uhc.com. If you missed the climb but would still like to support lung health, you can donate to the American Lung Association here.

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The campaign political director for socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (D.) expressed admiration for accused murderer Luigi Mangione in recently unearthed Facebook posts, writing in one that he looks forward to driving down a street renamed in Mangione’s honor.
Mangione “is adored not only because he dared to target a leader of one of the most vile, self-enriching industries darkening our society today, but because he dared to defy the stasis of nihilistic rejection,” Julian Gerson, who has worked for Mamdani’s campaign since March, wrote last December in social media posts reported by the Daily Mail.
“The question is not whether he was right or wrong,” Gerson went on. “It’s how many others he has shaken loose.”
In another post, Gerson suggested that a street should be renamed in honor of Mangione, writing he was “looking forward to driving down Mangione Avenue a few decades from now,” the Daily Mail reported.
Mangione, 26, is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4, 2024. Attorney General Pam Bondi in April directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Mangione.
Gerson in the social media posts also described Mangione as “one of the few entities not rejected online” and said that “while his remarkable good looks hardly hurt, anyone who thinks his acclaim is rooted primarily in aesthetics (looking at you, Vanessa Friedman) is missing the point, probably on purpose,” according to quotes screenshotted by John Podhoretz.
Gerson appears to have taken down his Facebook page following the Daily Mail‘s report.
 
The political aide’s remarks surfaced as his boss is polling in second place behind former New York governor Andrew Cuomo (D.) in the mayoral race.
Mamdani, a state assemblyman from Queens and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has long faced scrutiny over his far-left stances, particularly his anti-Semitism. The candidate earlier this month defended the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a popular chant at anti-Israel protests that calls for violence against Jews worldwide. The mayoral candidate instead described the anti-Semitic slogan as showing “a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.”

Following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, Mamdani took to the street and was arrested outside Sen. Chuck Schumer’s (D., N.Y.) home in Brooklyn, demanding that Schumer stop Israel from retaliating against Hamas terrorists.
Mamdani has also refused to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist, expressed support for the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, and declared that, if elected mayor, he will not visit the Jewish state.
Published under: Andrew Cuomo , Luigi Mangione , New York City , New York Mayoral Race , Zohran Mamdani
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LAFAYETTE PARISH — News of the latest tensions between the United States and Iran sparked a weekend of conversation among political leaders, experts and everyday residents. Many residents are unsure what it all means for the future.
Mental health professionals say that uncertainty, paired with constant exposure to global conflict, is fueling a rise in emotional strain across communities.
Phyllis Babineaux, a licensed clinical social worker with Social Work Answers, says the constant exposure to crisis can become mentally draining.
“I think the more you’re exposed to it, the more you think about it, the more it’s going to play a role in how you feel,” she said.
Babineaux said the nonstop stream of unsettling news can quickly become overwhelming and advises residents to limit their consumption.
“You don’t want to be monitoring it 24/7,” she said. “That will definitely lead to increased anxiety, concerns about the future and how it will impact you, your family and the world.”
“I think that this impacts everyone and we need to acknowledge it, because it is going on,” Babineaux said. “But I don’t think it should be the focus of everything.”
Babineaux who works with children and adolescents in New Iberia, encourages families to have open conversations at home, especially with children who may be confused or overwhelmed by what they see and hear.
“Something like this is a trauma to a child, and we have to be careful that we don’t add to that trauma,” she said. “Give them the information they want in ways they can understand. Sometimes, it just starts with having a conversation with your children.”
While you should limit your exposure, Babineaux says its important to have a healthy balance and boundaries.
She encourages residents who are feeling overwhelmed to speak to a professional for help.
Here are some mental health centers in the Lafayette area.
Acadiana Cares
Acadiana Counseling Center

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AI fitness is in the eye of the beholder.
Locked in. According to ABC Fitness, 61% of consumers have used AI to track workouts, and 49% rely on it for nutrition. Leading the way, nearly half of Gen Z and millennial users engage with AI-powered fitness and wellness apps daily.
But while adoption rises, trust, accuracy, and impact are lagging.
Doubtful. Only 33% of Gen Z and 43% of millennials fully trust AI-powered fitness apps, while just 17% of boomers engage with these tools, citing privacy concerns, lack of personalization, and poor usability.
With nearly half of users reporting irrelevant or inaccurate suggestions, many tools still fall short of delivering real value.
All business. To win over skeptical consumers, operators can turn AI into a competitive advantage by personalizing programs, integrating wearables, and building trust through usability, transparency, and outcomes.
Takeaway: Adoption is outpacing impact. To close the gap, fitness brands must align tech with immediate user needs and deliver solutions that feel less like prototypes.

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DA says 40 UnitedHealthcare execs got bodyguards and one dyed her hair after the CEO’s killing  Yahoo
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