The first time I participated in Relay for Life, I was 13 years old. I still had braces, and the person I dedicated my walk for was still a "Survivor." A lot has changed since my first Relay walk six years ago, but my love for the organization and for the event has remained the same.
Relay for Life is a nightlong event where participants, who raise money through sponsorship, walk around a track for 12 hours straight. There are games, food and various events going on throughout the night to keep participants engaged. There are also different themed laps to make the walking fun. In one night, it is completely possible to walk over 10 miles. It’s a lot of work, but one night of constant walking is nothing compared to fighting against cancer.
Each year, the Relay for Life events across the globe end up fundraising about for the American Cancer Society. The funds go towards various research and aid programs that help those fighting cancer and their families. Relay for Life raises money for all cancers and for people of all ages and identities. One of Relay’s slogans is “Cancer doesn’t discriminate, so neither do we.”
The first time I “relayed," the thing I remembered the most was the lighting of the luminarias. Luminarias are candle-lit bags that are decorated either in honor of a cancer survivor or in memory of someone who has lost his or her life fighting the disease. Once it becomes dark enough out, all the lights go out in the venue, and the only thing anyone can see are the lit luminarias. Everything is silent as people think about their loved ones. You can feel the energy throughout the entire venue. It’s breathtaking. Although the entire Relay for Life event is great, the luminaria ceremony was the thing that made me want to return the next year and every year after that.
It’s amazing to see everyone come together to fight for one cause. It’s shocking how cancer affects so many people in so many different ways. Like I said before, cancer doesn’t discriminate. It affects people of all ages, genders, races and socioeconomic classes. Fighting against cancer is the one thing everyone can do together, no matter what our personal beliefs are.
My first time I participated in Relay for Life, I walked in honor of my grandfather. He had kidney cancer for 10 years until he passed away in 2014. That was the first year I walked in memory of him. I’m very eager to experience Relay for Life on a college level. It’s something I think everyone should experience for himself or herself. It’s a simple thing; you don’t have to travel to a faraway country, spend a ton of money or really do anything more than volunteer your time, but it’s one of the most moving, touching and rewarding experiences ever.
