Taking The Cancer Fight Personally

Hoedown for Hope, American Cancer Society‘s (ACS) annual fundraiser, is set for this weekend at Kilohana Plantation. Cancer affects many people, and chances are you either know someone who has suffered from the disease or personally have been afflicted with it. My mother, Mary Zickos-Cole, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last year. The experience has been extremely tough on her — physically and emotionally — but I am happy to report she currently is cancer-free. I must thank ACS, which helped with her travel to Oahu for regular treatments. I also am grateful to all of the medical professionals who helped along the way, including Carol Fujiyoshi and Michael Carney.

Medicine is a wonderful thing and so are nonprofits such as ACS that make such a positive impact on people’s lives …

Festivities in honor of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole will begin this weekend on the South Shore. Many activities are planned at venues such as Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa. Celebrations include an educational session on salt-making at Salt Pond Park, a “royal dinner” at Plantation Gardens and a luau at Smith’s Tropical Paradise. On Saturday, March 29, there will be a canoe race from Kukuiula Harbor in Poipu to Salt Pond Park, culminating with a performance by Henry Kapono at the Grand Hyatt’s Seaview Terrace. For a full list of events, visit princekuhio.net …

National Tropical Botanical Garden presents an exhibition of 24 rare botanical prints created by Sir Joseph Banks during his explorations in Tahiti and the surrounding islands. They will be on view most weekdays from March 23 to May 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with three special Saturday showings March 21, April 11 and May 16 at NTBG’s Botanical Research Center in Kalaheo. Visit ntbg.org/art or call 332-7324, ext. 227, for more information …

Pacific Missile Range Facility guest-pass holders now can enroll in mixed martial arts classes at the fitness center on base. Karate Tech International Association MMA started on the base in 2013 to serve the local military community exclusively. Now classes are open to the public Monday and Thursday evenings: pre-karate for ages 4-6 from 4:30 to 5; youth karate for ages 7 and up from 5 to 6; and adult karate from 6 to 7 p.m. Cost is $40 per month. Instructor is senior sensei Dunya Alford, who studied under Karate Tech founder Jorge Ordonio in Germany. She has a second-degree black belt, has taught karate for five years and is a certified women’s self-defense instructor. To register for classes, call Alford at 212-8743 or the fitness center at 335-4379. Visit greatlifehawaii.com/pmrf/pmrf-home for more information on how to obtain a guest pass to the base.

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