Fighting Cancer at the Summit
Whirlpool employees find ways to raise money for Relay for Life
Originally published on Herald Palladium
by Tony Witkowski
Larry Ward climbs mountains to combat cancer.
In the last five years, he and his team – who refer to themselves as Climbing for Cancer – have reached the top of the tallest mountains in nearly all 50 states.
The motivation came when Ward gave his $1,000 nonrefundable deposit to an outfitter who would help him climb Mount Denali in Alaska.
“I had six of my friends suffer with cancer that week,” he said. “Two died, two were newly diagnosed, and two suffered setbacks in their treatment that week and have since passed. They were all Whirlpool friends. At that point, it felt like somebody was trying to get my attention.”
It took about three weeks to climb more than 20,000 feet and it cost a fair amount of money. But now, Ward shouts the names of more than 130 people from the top of every summit he reaches.
Ward, who retired from the Benton Harbor-based appliance maker almost a year ago, is one of several people who raise money for Relay for Life in an effort to combat cancer. Whirlpool Corp. employees and retirees have been involved in Relay for Life of Berrien County since 1996.
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