The Grundy County American Cancer Society?s Relay For Life activities are just around the corner, with this ?celebration of life? bringing the community together in a unified effort to fight cancer while symbolizing the fight cancer patients face after being diagnosed with the disease.
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The Grundy County American Cancer Society?s Relay For Life activities are just around the corner, with this ?celebration of life? bringing the community together in a unified effort to fight cancer while symbolizing the fight cancer patients face after being diagnosed with the disease.
Relay For Life is an overnight team effort to raise awareness and assisting the American Cancer Society?s research, education, advocacy, and patient services. According to co-chairman Terry Toms, there is not a single person in the area who does not know someone who has been touched with the cancer disease.
?This is the community?s way of showing support in helping individuals we meet on the streets of our communities on a daily basis,? she said.
Relay For Life is scheduled for Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5 at the C.F. Russell Stadium. Ms. Toms said that excitement is continuing to grow as this year looks to be one of the largest team participations. There are currently 22 teams working to help find a cure. Teams consist of eight to l 5 members and will be taking part in a variety of activities during the evening, which begin at 6 p.m. with the cancer survivor?s lap around the track. Other special events include a luminaria ceremony at 9 p.m., which will feature a hot air balloon glow, and the closing ceremony at 7 a.m. on Saturday. In between, team members will be walking the track to help raise awareness while participating in a host of other activities planned throughout the night.
The reason for starting the relay at dusk represents the light and darkness of the day and night that parallels the physical effects, emotions and mental state of a cancer patient while undergoing treatment, Ms. Toms said. The setting of the sun symbolizes the time the person has been diagnosed with cancer and as the day gets darker, it represents the patient?s state of mind as they feel that life is coming to an end.
As the evening progresses getting colder and darker, these are the emotions a cancer patient encounters. Around l to 2 a.m. represents the time the patient starts treatments, becoming exhausted, sick, not wanting to go on and possibly giving up. Participants in the relay feel the same way while walking during these hours; however, they know in order to help find a cure they cannot stop or give up, just as the cancer patient cannot stop and give up.
The time around 4 and 5 a.m. symbolizes the end of the treatment for the cancer patient. Once again they are tired, but they know they will make it.
Seeing the rising sun represents the end of treatment, just as the patient sees light at the end of the tunnel and knows that life will go on. The morning light brings on a new day, full of life, excitement, and participants begin to feel the brightness of the morning and know that the end of the relay is close at hand. Ms. Toms said that as participants leave the relay, they can think of cancer patients leaving their treatment. Just as the participants are exhausted and weak, so is the patient after treatment.
To participate in the event, purchase a luminaria or walk as a cancer survivor, persons are asked to contact Ms. Toms at 359-5621 or 359-3750.