We all know someone with cancer or we know someone who knows someone with cancer. It may be your mom or your grandfather. It could be your brother or your neighbor. It could be you. Regardless of the capacity to which the disease has effected your life, it has still effected you. For that reason, I encourage you to do what you can to help those who have been effected. There are countless ways to help out: donating blood and platelets, volunteering at a meal donation drive, donating money to research. The outlets and outreaches are endless. However, I'd like to tell you a little more about a specific event: Relay For Life.
Relay For Life was started in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt raised $27,000 for the American Cancer Society by walking and running for 24 hours.The following year, 340 people participated in the overnight event to raise money and awareness for the ever-growing disease. Since then, Relay For Life has raised nearly $5 billion dollars to fight cancer.
For those of you who don't know, Relay For Life is an overnight event that is 24 hours long. Participants donate their time and their money to fight cancer. During the event, participants are encouraged to form teams and spend the 24 hours walking or running. The idea is that for the 24 hours, someone from your team is on the track at all times.
Throughout the event, there are different events held. These events are the Survivors Lap, Luminaria Ceremony and the Fight Back Ceremony. These events are truly what make the event so special and unique. The Survivors Lap is when the Survivors and their family and caregivers get to walk a lap around the track. They are recognized and cheered on by the other participants who line the track to celebrate their victory over cancer. The Luminaria Ceremony is held once it gets dark. It is a time to remember those who have lost their life to cancer, to honor those who have fought cancer in the past and to support those who are currently fighting. Participants make bags and each one lines the track. Candles or lights are placed in each bag to symbolize all those who's lives are effected by cancer. Lastly, the Fight Back Ceremony is designed to remind us all why we need to fight against cancer. It is meant to be an encouragement to continue to fight until we see a world where cancer does not exist.
This month I had the opportunity to participate in my second Relay For Life event, and my first 24 hour relay. The experience absolutely changed my life and truly sparked something in me that I had forgotten existed: a love for service and a desire to leave the world better than I found it. Throughout the day I was constantly reminded of why I was there; because cancer effected two of the most important people in my life. When the walking became exhausting or the heat became too much, I thought of my grandmother and my aunt and was reminded that they are why I was there. It was because of them that I continued.
Paulo Cuehlo once said, "when you're legs get tired, walk with your heart." That is exactly what Relay For Life is. You get tired, you get exhausted, but when you look around you are reminded why you are there: so that the ones we love and hold dear to us can have another birthday. We walk for those who cannot.
Many will say, "what is me walking for 24 hours going to accomplish?" and they are right. When you look at it as the physical act of walking 24 hours, nothing. However, it is so much more than just walking for 24 hours. It is the time spent fundraising and the money that is collected that will fund research and procedures and new medications. It is the act of remembering someone that cancer took too soon or honoring someone who has been lucky enough to overcome cancer or to support someone who is currently in the middle of their fight.
During my relay I had a moment that completely solidified for me why I was doing what I was doing. It was around 5:45 in the morning, 21 hours into the relay. The sun was beginning to rise over the bleachers and I was shivering from being so cold. As the sun was coming up I remember thinking "thank god because it will finally start to get warm again and I only have 3 hours left to go." I was exhausted and could not wait to be done, but as the sun began to rise I saw something start to come into focus. On the bleachers was the word "hope" formed from the luminaria bags. As the sun continued to rise, the word started to come more into focus and I was absolutely overwhelmed with emotion.
In that moment I was reminded why I was doing what I was doing. I was reminded why I was outside at 5:45 in the morning in the freezing cold going on 21 hours of walking. I was reminded of my grandmother who lost her life to cancer and I was encouraged by my aunt who after a year and a half finally got the news that we had all been waiting for, her scans were clea- the cancer had lost. I was reminded of countless other stories I have heard of friends' loved ones and people I knew that had their life completely altered by cancer.
As the sun began to rise and the word started to take form, slowly at first, but then stronger and stronger, I was reminded that the sun always rises. That darkness has to end and that when the shadows fade and the darkness retreats, hope prevails. Hope shines through the darkness and it revels in the light. Through the good times and the bad times on our journey with cancer, hope is what sees us through.
That is why I relay: because I have hope that one day we will see a world with more birthdays. I have hope that one day we will get to see a world where cancer is no longer a death sentence. I have hope that one day we will be able to say that cancer will not win.
I encourage you to find a relay near you and participate in any way you can. I know you will not regret it. Below is a link on how to get involved.
http://relay.acsevents.org/site/PageServer?pagenam...
When we walk together, we are bigger than cancer.
