Army of walkers takes on cancer
Published: June 4, 2005
Bruce Johnson’s long strands of hair didn’t know it, but their remaining hours on his head were numbered. Johnson was a member of the Westminster Church and Riverbend Baptist Church group taking part in the 12th Annual Relay For Life of Gainesville-Hall County Friday and today. He offered students at Westminster Christian School a challenge.
“I put out a challenge to the kids that if they raised $4,000, I would shave my head tonight,” boasted Johnson, a chef at the Christian school.
Indeed, the students did raise the money to benefit the American Cancer Society and Johnson’s flowing hair soon would be removed during the Relay For Life event, held from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. this morning at Chestatee High.
Johnson said he had set up a tent at 7 a.m. Friday and probably wouldn’t leave until 1 a.m. Sunday.
“It’s a labor of love,” he said.
Johnson, who lost his wife to cancer, also said he’d be donating his hair to a good cause. Before his wife’s passing, she received hair during her treatment from Locks of Love and Johnson plans to donate his shorn tresses for the same purpose.
“Somebody down the line will have my hair besides me,” he said.
Johnson was among the thousands who gathered Friday evening at Chestatee High’s track to take part during the long walk in the battle against cancer.
During the event, teams of people gather to take turns walking or running laps while each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times, according to information on the Relay For Life Web site.
Gainesville-Hall Relay For Life chairman Ron Combs estimated that around 7,000 showed up for last year’s event, but this year’s numbers were down slightly because of gloomy weather. More than $300,000 was raised at last year’s event and Combs says “we’re already almost there this year.” A goal of $340,000 has been set this year, he said.
The proceeds from the event go to pay for research, advocacy, education and patient service programs of the American Cancer Society. It’s a year-long process, Combs said, with Relay For Life as the signature event.
“Cancer doesn’t stop, so we have to work year round,” Combs said.
The night’s events included a cancer survivors’ walk to start the walk with about 1,000 survivors from Hall County taking part, Combs estimated.
“It’s just an awesome, awesome night,” he said.
One of those survivors, Paul Harris, fought off two bouts with cancer, but lost his wife to the disease. He took part in the survivors’ walk to support the fight against the cancer that attacked him five years ago.
“I’m just trying to overcome this dreaded thing,” Harris said.
Between 2000 and 2001, the 64-year-old Harris had been diagnosed with both lung and throat cancer. An operation ridded him of the lung cancer and radiation killed the throat cancer.
“They’ve made a lot of strides in many areas, but there’s still a lot to be made,” Harris said.
According to the Relay For Life Web site, the event is the largest nonprofit fundraiser in the world with three million participants worldwide.
Harris says with the continued support of Relay For Life he believes there is hope for a cure. “Hopefully, one day,” he said.
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