Why We Climb
Alec is the reason this mission exists.
The origin of the Keep Climbing Foundation starts with a boy named Alec, a founder willing to do something difficult, and a promise to turn effort into direct help.
While navigating a difficult moment in his own career, Ryan Kelley spent time volunteering at a local children’s hospital. That is where he met Alec, a young boy battling cancer.
Alec’s fight changed Ryan’s sense of what a fundraising mission could be. Instead of hosting a routine event, he chose a mountain. The climb would be hard, visible, and impossible to ignore.
From that first ascent on Mount Rainier, the foundation learned its core lesson: people rally when the challenge is real and the purpose is specific.
The mission has since grown beyond a single climb. Each new summit creates awareness, attracts corporate partners, and helps direct money where families need it most.
The foundation’s current focus includes directly paying medical bills for families with a child undergoing cancer treatment, while still honoring the outdoor roots that started it all.
“Each climb becomes a fundraising mission to help families overcome life’s toughest challenges and inspire others to keep climbing.”
Keep Climbing Foundation
Mission in Practice
The cause remains specific: direct help for families.
The organization’s partner list reflects the same standard that shaped the first climb: support work that changes the daily reality for children and caregivers.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Leading the way in pediatric cancer treatment and research, with survival rates transformed over decades of work.
Fisher House Foundation
Provides free comfort homes for military and veteran families while a loved one is receiving care.
Team Alec Forever
Financially supports childhood cancer families in the St. Louis area, especially in moments of profound need.
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Helps families stay together and close to the care their children need during a medical crisis.
First Descents
Creates life-changing outdoor adventures for young adults impacted by cancer and serious health conditions.
Friends of Kids with Cancer
Enriches the daily lives of children undergoing treatment for cancer and blood-related diseases.
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