Relay for Life event aims for a cancer cure
Published: June 3, 2005
More than 60 teams will be running for their lives and the lives of others Friday and Saturday at the American Cancer Society’s Warren County Relay for Life.
The event – which involves teams of people who take turns walking or running laps to raise money for cancer research and programs – will be from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday at Bowling Green High School. This year’s theme is “Decades.”
The night will include music and other activities. Dr. Scott Diamond, a cancer researcher who received a $1 million grant from the American Cancer Society, will speak at the opening ceremony.
There were 150 survivors at last year’s Relay for Life and about 40 teams raised $100,050. At this year’s kickoff for the event in January, organizers set a goal to raise $135,000, have 225 survivors and recruit 60 teams.
“We have more teams than we had last year,” ACS communications and marketing specialist Juli Hale said. “We’re planning on a successful evening.”
Some teams are planning for a successful evening, too, their captains said.
Kathy Bridgeman, team captain for the 12-member “Insuring a Cure” team for Center of Insurance and luminaria chairwoman for Relay, said the team members have been pumping each other up with pep talks. They raised more than $5,000 for last year’s Relay and hope to surpass that this year.
“We’re hoping for a cure and are seeing results,” Bridgeman said. “There are new medicines for people who, prior to this, had no hope.”
Bridgeman participates for personal reasons, too. Her mother is a cancer survivor and her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer a week ago.
“I went to the American Cancer Society to get information three years ago when I found out my mother had leukemia. I saw a Relay for Life brochure and thought, ‘I’d like to do that,’ ” she said. “(Center of Insurance) got involved three years ago because we were acquaintances of (Bowling Green leukemia patient) Philip Schardein.”
Bridgeman also wants to make sure that there is money raised for ACS’ Hope Lodge – free temporary housing facilities for cancer patients who are undergoing treatment and their families. She and her family stayed at one in Nashville when her mother was undergoing treatment.
“It helps lighten the burden when you’re away from home. They have transportation to hospitals and people to help counsel cancer patients,” she said. “They make it as comfortable as possible. It’s like you’re at home.”
Rebekah Sledge, captain of the 15-member Walgreens team, which is made up of employees of the two Bowling Green stores and one in Glasgow, said the group has already exceeded its goal for this year’s Relay.
“We raised less than $1,000 and we weren’t happy with that,” she said. “This year we had a yard sale, car wash and collection buckets at some of the registers at the stores. We’ve raised $3,000. I’m proud of the team.”
Relay for Life is important to the Walgreens employees, Sledge said.
“One of our store managers has leukemia,” she said. “Several of us have relatives who have had cancer or who are cancer patients.”
Warren County Relay for Life co-chairwoman Lynn Reker said she is excited about this year’s event – her first. A 10-year breast cancer survivor who had a double mastectomy and chemotherapy, Reker is usually busy at this time of year with various family events. Someone from her insurance office told her about Relay for Life.
“Someone asked me if I wanted to get involved,” she said. “I’ve met a lot of people and heard a lot of interesting stories. We have a wonderful community.”
Hale agreed.
“Relay for Life has become a community event because nearly everyone has been touched by cancer in some way,” Hale said. “It’s a great celebration of the success of the American Cancer Society and cancer research.”
Although Relay for Life can have somber moments, it’s a celebration, Reker said.
“We celebrate the survivors and the ones whose lives have passed. We cherish the memories of their lives,” she said. “It’s a community effort, family affair and a way to help cancer patients. That’s what it’s all about.”
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