Scuba-thon reaches out to kids battling cancer
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There are telethons, marathons, motorcycle rides, mountain climbs and more - all designed to raise money for charity.
Now there's even a scuba-thon. It's called "Dive Around The Clock." And it has Redondo Beach swimming with scuba divers.
For a solid 24 hours, buddy teams of divers will rotate in and out of the water every 30 minutes.
Truxton Terkla can be heard giving last-minute instructions before wading in with his group. "Then we'll swim out to deeper water," he says.
I was in that group, going down with 13-year-old Sierra Fuller and Lavonne Terkla. We went down 32 feet.
Back on the surface, Sierra says, "I really like the blue starfish, and then I like the little fish that was jumping around, that was cool and the crab we played with, that was really fun."
Sierra just completed her scuba certification last month.
Her new adventure coincides with an important anniversary - a time in her life she'd rather keep in the past.
Sierra was featured on KOMO News' Children's Miracle Network Telethon, back in 2004.
"I can't really describe it that well," she says. "It just hurt."
A little over six years ago, doctors diagnosed her with a rare cancer in her eye. Although Sierra was only 6 years old at the time, she fought it and won.
After 11 months of chemotherapy, she was declared cancer-free. And she's been cancer-free ever since.
Her mom, Maria, says, "We've been looking at this day for a really, really long time. Thinking it would never really come."
Sierra and her mom are grateful doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital gave Sierra a new chance at life.
Maria says, "We don't ever hesitate doing anything we can to help the hospital. The hospital saved her life and really kept us together."
And that's why Sierra is scuba diving.
Dive Around the Clock keeps rotating scuba divers in and out of the water for a full 24 hours - to raise money for pediatric cancer research at Children's.
Kyle Larson says, "No child should have to go through cancer."
Larry Trenda says, "We love to share the experience and the smile on people's faces when they dive."
Speaking of Kyle, Larry and all the other divers, Sierra says, "I tell them thank you first of all for doing everything that they've done."
And you don't have to be a scuba diver to get into Dive Around the Clock.
Last year, this group raised about $19,000 for Children's Hospital cancer research. This year, they want to raise more than $20,000, so they invite you to come down and join them with a donation.
You can also keep up with the divers from home, by watching Dive Around the Clock's live underwater camera.
Now there's even a scuba-thon. It's called "Dive Around The Clock." And it has Redondo Beach swimming with scuba divers.
For a solid 24 hours, buddy teams of divers will rotate in and out of the water every 30 minutes.
Truxton Terkla can be heard giving last-minute instructions before wading in with his group. "Then we'll swim out to deeper water," he says.
I was in that group, going down with 13-year-old Sierra Fuller and Lavonne Terkla. We went down 32 feet.
Back on the surface, Sierra says, "I really like the blue starfish, and then I like the little fish that was jumping around, that was cool and the crab we played with, that was really fun."
Sierra just completed her scuba certification last month.
Her new adventure coincides with an important anniversary - a time in her life she'd rather keep in the past.
Sierra was featured on KOMO News' Children's Miracle Network Telethon, back in 2004.
"I can't really describe it that well," she says. "It just hurt."
A little over six years ago, doctors diagnosed her with a rare cancer in her eye. Although Sierra was only 6 years old at the time, she fought it and won.
After 11 months of chemotherapy, she was declared cancer-free. And she's been cancer-free ever since.
Her mom, Maria, says, "We've been looking at this day for a really, really long time. Thinking it would never really come."
Sierra and her mom are grateful doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital gave Sierra a new chance at life.
Maria says, "We don't ever hesitate doing anything we can to help the hospital. The hospital saved her life and really kept us together."
And that's why Sierra is scuba diving.
Dive Around the Clock keeps rotating scuba divers in and out of the water for a full 24 hours - to raise money for pediatric cancer research at Children's.
Kyle Larson says, "No child should have to go through cancer."
Larry Trenda says, "We love to share the experience and the smile on people's faces when they dive."
Speaking of Kyle, Larry and all the other divers, Sierra says, "I tell them thank you first of all for doing everything that they've done."
And you don't have to be a scuba diver to get into Dive Around the Clock.
Last year, this group raised about $19,000 for Children's Hospital cancer research. This year, they want to raise more than $20,000, so they invite you to come down and join them with a donation.
You can also keep up with the divers from home, by watching Dive Around the Clock's live underwater camera.
