HALO with HARDI Raise Money for Cancer Research
“Good afternoon. I’m KC Faessler and I’m a cancer survivor.” At the opening luncheon of this year’s conference that’s how I started my plea for more walkers to join us for our first HALO –Helping All Live On- Walk for Cancer. I then asked for any other survivors in the room to stand. And yes, there were other survivors. This wasn’t possible a decade ago. We are survivors because of the dedicated doctors and scientists who have devoted their lives to finding a cure. From new chemotherapy drugs to technology that can detect some cancers in their earliest stages, it’s research that has saved our lives. That’s why this year HALO has made raising money for cancer research our priority.
I then told everyone about the success of our silent auction which was held at the opening reception and thanked all the wonderful people who donated items and all those who purchased those items. We made a record $6,380. And we weren’t finished yet. I asked for the survivors to stand again. Then asked anyone to stand who was currently fighting cancer or knew someone who was fighting. Many more stood. But when I asked those to stand who had lost a loved one to cancer almost everyone in the room was standing. It was overwhelming. At this point my next line was supposed to be “Look around the room.” But I was so overwhelmed that I couldn’t hold back the tears. When I composed myself I pointed out that we were a very small part of a great big world and that we need help. We need
to find a cure. We definitely weren’t finished. We had a table in the back of the room for people to sign up to participate in the walk on Wednesday morning and of course to take donations. Many signed up to walk and we collected additional donations of $786! Some donated in the name of someone they know, one for his sister who is in the final stages. Many shared their stories. Stories of themselves, stories of those they love. It was a touching and emotional experience.
And then we held our walk.
Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m. more that 50 walkers gathered for a one hour walk around the grounds of the beautiful J. W. Marriot Grande Lakes Hotel. We walked, we talked, we laughed, we cried, we spread awareness and we raised more money. Conference attendees who were not able to walk because of conflicts with meetings (we’re trying to fix that for next year.) came to donate. They told us stories and gave us money. A past president told me I had reminded him of something he had forgotten about and pulled out his checkbook.
At the final banquet we presented to the American Cancer Society a check for $15,500. And we still weren’t finished. Donations continued. Our total donation to cancer research was $16,100! Thank you to everyone who made this possible, especially the HALO board which is dedicated to HELPING ALL LIVE ON. I look forward to another successful and even better HALO fund raising year in 2010.
Until Later, KC Faessler
