ASBURY PARK — Kick Cancer Overboard, a New Jersey-based nonprofit, held a fundraiser last weekend at Asbury Lanes, awarding local families whose lives have been touched by cancer an all-expense-paid cruise vacation.
One of these families is the DiVona family of Point Pleasant, as Carla DiVona continues to battle multiple myeloma, which affects a type of white blood cell and can damage bones, kidneys and the immune system. Although treatable, it is incurable and requires intrusive treatment consisting of chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants.
DiVona told The Ocean Star, “I was completely honored and shocked to receive this. It comes to me with great honor and pleasure. As a multiple myeloma cancer patient with no cure, I have to live my life through doctors and hospitals. Receiving this little slice of heaven, knowing for five days the only worry I have is how I will spend it with my boys, especially when it is not discussing doctor appointments and hospital stays.”
On the last Sunday of the year, as it has done many times over the years, Kick Cancer Overboard took over the venue as musicians from the RockIt Foundation jammed all evening.
The RockIt Live Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps develop, nurture and inspire young music performers to reach their full artistic potential, building character as well as talent, instilling confidence and team skills, while emphasizing the importance of community charity efforts, through live music education offered at Brookdale Community College in the Lincroft section of Middletown.
Ted Friedli, founder of Kick Cancer Overboard, said, “Our mission is to send people affected by cancer on cruises to Bermuda.”
Fourteen years ago, a good friend of Friedli was given the life-changing news of a cancer diagnosis. Despite a 4% survival chance within a year, she went on to live for many more years.
“She was the inspiration for me to try to do something to help other people,” said Friedli. He had many ideas on how he could fundraise and give back to those who have been affected by cancer, but many of the ideas have been done so many times, that Friedli wanted to come up with something new.
Eventually, he came up with the idea to give away cruises to people who “need a break,” and thus, Kick Cancer Overboard was born. In its many years of operation, the group has given free cruises to over 800 families.
There is always one cruise every year, according to Friedli. The group partners with Royal Caribbean, because the cruise line is docked in Bayonne, to make families’ travel easier.
The next cruise will be in May for the DiVona family and other recipients, including the Sidorakis family from Belmar, who lost their young daughter, Mia Nicole, on May 23, 2018 after a nine-month battle with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT). This is a type of cancer that affects three out of one million children. She was only two years old when she died.
“We do this once a year so everybody who gets the free cruise is on the same ship, so they are eating dinner together, they are spending time together, making new friends, sharing stories about their fights with cancer. It is always an uplifting experience,” said Friedli.
People in these tense and stressful situations are often not thinking about taking a vacation. Kick Cancer Overboard’s mission is to give people whose lives have been touched by cancer a chance to relax, breathe and take some well-earned rest.
Friedli said, “Many times they feel a vacation is not justified, but that is when they need it the most. We are trying to find people under the best of circumstances who could not afford a vacation. So now, under the worst circumstances when they are fighting cancer, we will be able to surprise them with the free cruise and give them something positive to look forward to.”
Another aspect of these fundraisers and cruises, is oftentimes the families do not know they are being awarded with the cruise until it is announced at the event.
“The event went very well,” said Friedli. “It was pretty much sold out. Everyone had a great time.” He also thanked and commended Asbury Lanes for being such a great venue and being so accommodating to their foundation.
“It is very humbling. Lots of emotions needless to say. When you have your health, you really have nothing to complain about. Everything else pales…We understand how important it is to have your health,” said Friedli.
In an interview with The Ocean Star, DiVona said, “Just as it says on their website, we can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails, and I have been adjusting sails for decades. I would greatly appreciate someone else steering the ship while we enjoy quality time with no worries. I am so grateful and thankful for all this organization has done for people like me that fight cancer everyday of our lives. A big shout out to all that were involved in helping me to receive this from such a wonderful organization.”
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.
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