This is no ordinary hike. Fugro participants climb Half Dome - a 19-mile round trip hike with 4800 feet of elevation gain/loss! The last 400 feet you pull yourself up the dome using steel cables to reach the top. The guidebooks call it extremely strenuous and a once in a lifetime experience. There are no food or water stops along the way, so their packs were heavy. And this year, everyone made it to the top!

And why would we do this, you ask? Histiocytosis is a rare disease, where there is an over production of histiocytes that attach the body. The disease may manifest itself through tumors, rashes that don't heal, and other problems. This disease grows, and is treated like cancer, but is not considered cancer because the cell source is different. There is no government funded research because it isn't considered a cancer. Often fatal in small children, the disease also strikes adults.

The daughter of one Fugro Employee, is a Histiocytosis survivor. In her case, the growth was in her spine and she lost the ability to walk. At the age of 5, she underwent surgery and radiation at UCLA. Although she has made a good recovery and remains in remission (she is now 16), she is always at risk.

Therefore, Fugro volunteers make a commitment each year to climb the mountain in her honor and to raise funds to promote research. . The 2008 Hike is scheduled for the last weekend in September if you would care to join.