Upcoming Relay for Life Raises Cancer Research Dollars and Awareness
By Carolyn Schuk
Cancer does its evil work around the clock. That’s why the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life runs for a full 24 hours.
This year’s annual Santa Clara Relay For Life will take place Saturday, May 17 through Sunday, May 18 at Townsend Field. Last year's event raised a record-breaking $72,000. Nearly half that amount has already been pledged for this year's Relay, according to the ACS website.
The event begins on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with the first lap of the day, the Survivors’ lap. Cancer survivors walk this together, with music and crowds of participants cheering them on.
At 9:00 p.m., after sundown, Luminarias are lit. Each of the hundreds of candles in this breath-taking display honors a cancer victim or survivor and inspires walkers through the night shift.
The goal of the Relay For Life is to raise money, awareness, and a support network for people who have either survived cancer themselves or have stood by helplessly as a friend or family member succumbed.
But it's not just about fund-raising. Relay For Life also aims to raise awareness of some important realities.
First, despite dramatic treatment advances in recent years, much remains to be done. Second, cancer can strike anybody at any age. Third, and perhaps most important, there are many valiant cancer survivors out there who can encourage and inspire people currently facing cancer.
"A lot of cancer survivors go through the experience and then they move on," explains Reed Kavner, a survivor of Ewing's Sarcoma who spoke at last year's Relay.
Cancer survivors "don't use their story as much as they should to raise awareness," he says. "What they have is so powerful. When you go through cancer you witness a lot and experience a lot. I think people should use that to make a difference."
How can you participate? Signing up is simple and you can do it as late as 9:59 a.m. the day of the event. To sign up a team, pledge as a sponsor, register as a survivor, join a Relay planning committee, or sponsor a Luminaria candle, www.events.cancer.org/rflsantaclaraca.
A donation of $10 is the suggested donation for luminaries. A team commitment fee of $150.00 is required for participation. Team members are also asked to raise at least $100. There is no fee for survivors attending only the Survivor Lap.
The Santa Clara Relay for Life starts May 17 at Townsend Field, 1111 Bellomy Street, Santa Clara, behind Buchser Middle School. Starting time is 10:00 a.m. For information, visit www.events.cancer.org/rflsantaclaraca or email Howard Myers at 1HMeyers@comcast.net.
Carolyn Schuk can be reached at cschuk@earthlink.net.
