Four years ago Relay for Life was just another social gathering where we happened to have been raising money for the American Cancer Society. The gravity of what cancer is hadn't really hit me because it hadn't had a big impact in my life at that point. In a matter of weeks that all changed.
In July of 2012, I heard the words, "you have cancer" as I sat in a hospital bed after hours of testing. At first I was just sort of didn't believe it was real, but once that passed I sobbed. At the time I was more upset by the fact that I couldn't go to sleep away camp with my friends. In the following two and a half years I underwent chemotherapy and am extremely lucky to say that I am a survivor.
Now, back to Relay for Life. It really is a great event and at first I don't mind being recognized for having survived such a horrid disease. Eventually, though, I do get sad when I think of all the people who didn't make it. That's what all of the luminaria surrounding the track are for, right? In the dark of the night you realize how lucky you are to not just be a memory.
Once this hits, it starts to become more difficult to keep up with all of the other kids as I become weighed down by the memory of those I knew who have since passed. After a while all of these feelings pass once again and then it becomes a normal night with my friends. We run around on the field and walk on the track laughing as the exhaustion kicks in.
Relay for Life is a very good fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. It raises a lot of money and gives survivors a chance to meet others who have gone through some of the same things they have. However, as a teenager there are only a few people my age who are survivors at this event. It makes me wonder if people even believe I have truly been through it. This year as I went to check in at registration the woman looked at me with disbelief that I had actually been through cancer.
Even though there are things that I am not a huge fan of with Relay for Life I still go each and every year. To me the idea of preventing another person from having to deal with this disease is worth the sadness that I feel for an hour or so. Cancer in no way or form discriminates. It doesn't care you race, gender, wealth status, celebrity status or age. No one knows what is going to happen tomorrow. I certainly didn't when I did my first Relay for Life. I guess if I could say one thing it would just be cherish the moments you have as tomorrow your whole life could possibly be flipped upside down (mine certainly was). Enjoy your time as a kid as you only get that opportunity once and most definetly talk to some survivors at Relay for Life about their stories and how they are doing now I am sure they would be happy to give you a few words.
