5K walks on HAL ships

[Carri314]

As a stage 4 colon cancer survivor & 5 time HAL cruise veteran, I feel very strongly that HAL should not single out one particular form of cancer (in this case it happens to be breast cancer) for their 5K walks. If you would like to see them offer a walk sponsored by Stand Up To Cancer or some similar group that funds research into all types of cancer, let me know. I wrote HAL after my last cruise in March 2011 & they said they'd look into it, but I never heard anything more.

[Mary Ellen]

Congratulaions on your recovery. I've lost a dear friend to that form of cancer a few years ago. However, are you saying you object to the Susan G. Komen foundation because they focus on only one type of cancer? Why stop at special fundraising for any particular disease or condition? Why not make all fundraising to cover everything? Just like individuals, companies pick and choose where their fundraising efforts lie. I congratulate HAL on their support to raise funds for any disease. I'm not getting my knickers in a knot because they feature a disease different than one that my family deals with.

[sapper1]

You can spread your donations thinly around many different good causes and really not make much of an impact on any of them or you can focus on one single good cause and make a difference. HAL has chosen to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. That doesn't mean other groups are less deserving; it just means this is where they have decided to focus. There are other organizations who direct their fund raising efforts to other types of cancer.

 

One organization cannot be all things to all people.

 

I am so glad you are a survivor and interested in fund raising for that cause. I have a close family member with leukemia and while I certainly support any group that raises funds to fight this terrible affliction, I find no fault with HAL for choosing breast cancer over leukemia for their contribution to research.

[iriemon]

My wife has been fighting rectal cancer for the last 6 1/2 years. I have lost my sister and many friends to all different types of cancer. Everytime we are on a HAL ship we do a walk the deck for a cure, I have to push my wife in a wheel chair, but that is OK, we wouldn't miss it. I even go around the office and collect additional donations. You may ask why. Well one of the chemos that she is on Avastan was actually developed for breast cancer and they found it works on other cancers also. It is helping to keep her alive and keeping the tumor under control. Any research is good and will help to find a cure for this devistating disease.

[Sea42]

Is this walk offered on every cruise? I would love to participate.

Carri314, I understand where you're coming from. It seems that certain diseases receive much more support than others. My daughter has what her doctors referred to as an orphan disease. No walks, no bracelets, no ribbons. I don't see why HAL couldn't pick a different disease to support each year. The gains in breast cancer treatments have been tremendous in recent years. It would be great if other disease could be spotlighted in the same way.

[Randyk47]

 

This is my wife Carey (left) and our new friend Amy on the Maasdam last March. Amy is a two-year survivor and five years ago Carey lost her mother to breast cancer. We always walk but understand that there are indeed other cancers out there having lost three close friends in the past three years to throat, colon, and brain cancer.

 

This is yours truly (left) and Amy's husband TJ. We followed the girls for the whole walk. Amy and TJ will be cruising the Med with us next year. :)

[sail7seas]

Great photos, Randy. Thanks for posting them. (You handsome devil. :) )

 

I'm proud to sail with a cruise line which is so dedicated to such a cause. HAL has a firm committment to Susan G. Komen but I'm sure throughout the year, they make many contributions to a number of worthy causes. They're a very philanthropic company.