Surf or Sound Realty’s staff along with other members of the community will be walking to raise funds for the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation that offers financial help to island residents fighting cancer. The walk is scheduled for April 29, 2011 at 6am starting from Ramp 23 in Salvo and ending in Mirlo Beach. The walk is about 5 miles long and anyone is welcome to join.

The Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation (HICF) was founded in 2000 by Laney Howell who lost her battle with cancer in 2001. During her four and a half years of treatment after she had surgery in 1997, Laney received great support from Hatteras Island residents who brought meals, cleaned her home, cared for her family and drove her to medical appointments in Elizabeth City and Norfolk. She wanted to give back to the community by creating the cancer foundation to help patients on the island.

Today HICF continues to help island cancer patients with medical expenses not reimbursed by insurance and travel expenses to medical centers for cancer treatment. In addition to financial support, HICF volunteers help with everyday chores such as yard work, light housekeeping, shopping, and meal preparation.

There is a great need today for this support in the Hatteras Island Community. Angie Ballance is a local resident who has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She is only 32 years old and is married with two young daughters, Karlene and Kimber. Her parents work and live here on the island as well. Her husband works in Frisco at the Frisco Rod and Gun and Angie is a dental assistant at Dr. Slagle’s office in Frisco.

Angie has started a blog to journal her experience with being diagnosed with breast cancer. It offers a very close to home example of what all men and women and their families have to go through in their fight against cancer. In Angie’s words, “I want young women to be aware of the importance of doing self exams, and if it takes my going through this to save someone else’s life, then maybe that is God’s plan.” You can visit her blog at http://keepingballance.blogspot.com/.

Surf or Sound Realty wants to support the efforts of the HICF by giving back to the Hatteras Island community. Please support our effort to raise funds for this great cause by sending your donations to the HICF. To make a donation please make checks payable to the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation. You can mail the checks directly to the foundation Post Office Box 442, Hatteras, NC 27943. You can also make donations online by going to http://hicf.org/. The donations are tax deductible.

You are welcome to drop the checks off at our two offices in Avon or Salvo as well for your convenience. There will be buckets available for donations at multiple Hatteras Island businesses. When making your donation, please mention your support of “Surf or Sound Taking a Step for the Cure”.

Thank you for your support and we hope to see you at the walk!