Can I get a show of hands? Who out there thinks CANCER SUCKS? Yeah. Me too. That’s a dumb question. Pretty much everyone does, right? But are you willing to do something about it?
I AM.
I AM doing something about it.
Source: main.acsevents.org via Michelle (Intentional.Me) on Pinterest
In just over two weeks, on October 1st, I will be in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. This is my 4th year. Relay is an overnight event (ours is 6pm to 6am.) Teams raise money, and take turns walking laps on a track, to symbolize the struggle that cancer patients go through. It’s all night because cancer never sleeps. There are games and ceremonies, activities and celebrations, a silent auction and a survivor dinner. It’s a FUN way to fight cancer. It’s like a mini fair, but all the money you spend goes to a fantastic cause. What could be better? Relay is all about celebrating cancer survivors, remembering loved ones lost to cancer, and FIGHTING BACK so we can put an end to cancer. ALL CANCER. Because no one should ever have to go through any kind of cancer. Ever.
Source: triblocal.com via Michelle (Intentional.Me) on Pinterest
You can read about my personal reasons to Relay. But mostly, I Relay because I don’t want there to be stories like this one. For cancer’s victims & families, one day everything is normal, and the next day nothing will ever be the same. I won’t even begin to pretend that I understand how truly hard that is to go through. But I do know this:
It’s not fair.
We need to FIGHT it.
We need to PUT an END to it.
RIGHT NOW.
If we all stood up RIGHT NOW to do something about it, instead of waiting for someone we love to be affected by cancer, imagine what we could achieve? The stats are sobering. Don’t wait for someone you know to hear the words, “You have cancer.” Won’t you do something about it now?
How can you help?
I encourage you to check out our Relay for Life, or one near you. They’re all over the country. There’s a Relay for Life in your neck of the woods, I’m sure, and you could:
- Attend the Relay (you don’t have to be on a team)
- Purchase a luminaria in honor of/memory of a loved one with cancer
- Volunteer
- Start a team
- Help your local planning committee
Luminaria in honor/memory of loved ones with cancer.
If you’d like to donate to support of my team, you can do that here. If you would like to purchase a $10 luminaria in honor/memory of a loved one, you can do that here. (You can even email me a picture and I’ll personally put it on your loved one’s luminaria). All of these donations are tax deductible, and the ACS will use the money we raise to fund research, education, and support people who are fighting for their lives right now.
This year, I’m also the activities chair for our Relay. I had no idea how much advance work Relay takes! If you attend a Relay near you, Thank a committee member. They work for months and months to make this cancer fighting event a success. So, if I’m not around too much until October 1st, you know what I’m up to. 
And you know where I’ll be on October 1st….
I’ll be up walking all night… because cancer never sleeps.
What are you going to do?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for linking to Ian’s story.
One of our neighbors walks every year in the local Relay for Life back home. We’ve bought luminarias in honor of my maternal grandmother that passed away from cancer, and 3 of my mom’s sisters who are breast cancer survivors.
We’re planning on walking as a family in the local Hoosiers Outrun Cancer event, here in Bloomington (where we are currently for Ian’s treatment) next Saturday, praying for good weather!!
Ali, thanks for stopping by! You’re most welcome for the link to Ian’s story. It’s such a little thing I can do, considering all your family is going through. And my prayers for you continue, of course.
I hope you all enjoy the Hoosiers Outrun Cancer event next weekend, and that there is beautiful weather for it!