Karen Ciampa appreciates a good challenge.
At 56 years old, she already has competed in marathons. Later this week, she'll be one of 15 South Floridians hiking the Grand Canyon to raise money for cancer research and honor those already lost to the disease.
As hard as the hike might be, Ciampa thinks fighting cancer is even harder.
''It's a struggle every day for them,'' said the Sunrise woman, who has seen several family members and co-workers cope with the disease.
For several months, the group has been training for Hike for Discovery, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training, or TNT, program that prepares people to hike the canyon. Each hiker raises $4,200 to take part.
Hike for Discovery began three years ago, and Karen Smith has already completed the mission twice.
This year, the 69-year-old Pompano Beach woman is the hike leader for the South Florida group training primarily at Vista View Park in Davie.
The hike will take place Saturday, but the team began training in February, walking in full hiking gear through the hills of the park, the Everglades, the beach and other areas around South Florida.
The hike which could take them anywhere from six to eight hours, depending on the trail and their pace.
''We bring in different people to try and educate everyone,'' Smith said.
After their April 26 training session, the group heard from Dan Yaffe, a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society board member.
Yaffe, who had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, recently returned from a hike in the Grand Canyon.
''You will have reddish-brown dust on everything, but you will have the time of your life,'' he said.
The group also spoke with cancer survivor Vonda Stricker, a source of inspiration for many of the hikers.
Stricker, of Plantation, was diagnosed with leukemia in 1990 and was told she had 10 years to live.
Now 18 years beyond her diagnosis, she told the group to be proud of the feat they are undertaking.
''You are helping, and your souls should feel wonderful,'' Stricker said.
For information, call the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Southern Florida Chapter in Hollywood at 954-744-5300 or visit www.hikefordiscovery.org.
