As many people know, April-June is Relay For Life season. What many people might not know is what Relay For Life actually is.
When I've mentioned Relay For Life to other people, the first thing they ask me is "do you have to run a race? I don't run, so I don't think it is for me." The shock that overcomes me everytime is indescribable.
It amazes me that such a vital part of my life is unknown to several in our country. Maybe it is because Relay is such a big event in my town that envisioning it as anything less anywhere else is hard to fathom.
Anyone who is involved with Relay will do one of two things when explaining it to you. They will either spit out tons and tons of facts about the amazing things that Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society does or tell you a personal story. I plan on doing both.
According to the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimate of 266,120 new cases of breast cancer in 2018. One reason, why I Relay, is that my aunt had breast cancer. She was a middle school teacher, beloved by all of her kids, and had to take a hiatus from her teaching career. Her battle was long and hard, but she persevered and lives to tell her story today.
In fact, the best way to detect breast cancer is to get your mammograms. 1 in 10 women will have an abnormal scan, but of those, only 5% even get diagnosed with cancer. I can imagine that hearing you have an abnormal scan can be scary, but don't let that prevent you from doing a follow-up exam. These secondary scans can be lifesaving, especially if done early enough. Regular monthly exams are also ideal, along with noting any changes and discussing them with your physician.
Due to new advances in early detection and treatments, some cancers are now easier to detect and cure. Skin cancer, also known as Melanoma cancer, had a mortality rate of 1.6% in 2017! That is one of the lowest rates I have ever seen!
Only about 5.2% of new cases arise, thanks to all of our preventative measures. No use or limited use of tanning beds, applying and re-applying sunscreen when outdoors, along with covering the body with clothing to protect it from sun damage are all ways that we have decreased the statistics of this disease. Continuously following these measures, along with self-checks and noting any differences are what allows us to be healthy.
However, did you know that cancer is the leading cause of death for our Hispanic population? Since I am of Hispanic ethnicity, this is a great concern of mine. Hispanics have a higher rate of being diagnosed with cancer, especially liver, cervix, stomach, and gallbladder.
My mother was Hispanic and was diagnosed with kidney cancer 6 months after I was born. Not only that, but her cancer contained traces of melanoma, a super rare case of cancer that had only previously been documented once before.13 years later, several hundreds of treatments, tumors (even in her brain), and thousands of dollars later, she, unfortunately, lost her battle with cancer. Growing up and watching her fight every day inspired me to want a change. Also, getting so involved through her involvement allowed my passion to grow even more.
Did you know that 75% of the money raised from Relay across the country goes straight into funding programs, such as cancer research, patient support, etc? The other 25% goes towards funding support services like fundraising expenses.
99% of the money raised is directly from people attending or supporting Relay for Life. 99%!
Did you know that the American Cancer Society has programs you can volunteer for if you do not want or can not afford to donate money? Through our Road to Recovery program, you can drive patients to and from their treatments if they are unable to drive themselves there. Also, most hospitals host a Look Good, Feel Better program that gives women lessons on make-up and a free wig in order to help them adjust to the drastic physical changes that their bodies undergo through treatment.
Do you know someone who has been affected by cancer? Someone in your family? Your neighborhood? Your town?
If you have, and you never knew of a way to help them, this is your chance. Supporting your local Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society opens doors to these survivors that had not previously been there.