Cancer visits untold sufferings on the afflicted and on loved ones — and one in three people will be diagnosed with it during their lifetime.
At its root, some leading researchers say, are toxins, dietary imbalances and chronic infections.
Some of the brightest minds of the age are working hard to whip it. But money is needed to lay cancer in the dust.
Between 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday, the American Cancer Society’s Auburn Relay for Life fundraiser returns to Auburn Memorial Stadium, inviting teams of people to camp out on the field and to take turns walking or running the track all night and into the next morning.
Whatever the weather, they’ll be out there, fighting the good fight and raising awareness about cancer prevention and treatment.
As of Wednesday, 83 teams and 529 participants had raised $67,813.11.
Registration is going strong.
The opening ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Friday with the posting of the colors followed by the singing of the national anthem and the survivors and caregivers’ laps. The official relay begins at 7 p.m., followed by a moving luminaria ceremony at 10 when people write the names of loved ones on a luminaria bag and join it to hundreds of others lining the track. Following the ceremony, candles inside the bags are lit in support of those battling cancer, in honor of those who have fought the battle and won, and in loving memory of those who lost their battle. The candles remain lit throughout the night.
The money raised goes for patient services. It saves lives by funding cutting-edge cancer research, early detection and prevention education, advocacy efforts and life-affirming patient services. But the relay also is about mission awareness, getting the word out about cancer prevention and how people can take care of themselves so they don’t get cancer in the first place.
Organizers don’t require that a specified amount of money be raised to take part in Relay For Life. The American Cancer Society’s recommendation is that each participant sets a personal goal to raise $100. But no doubt about it, the more the merrier. The only requirement to participate is the registration/commitment fee (per person) that is due upon registration. After that, anything people can raise through individual, team, or online fundraising is accepted.
Nationally, the overnight event brings together more than 3.5 million people. To participate, form a team, or dedicate a luminaria, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
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RELAY FOR LIFE
• What: American Cancer Society’s Auburn Relay for Life
• When: 6 p.m.. Friday, May 17, to 10 a.m., Saturday, May 18
• Where: Auburn Memorial Stadium, 801 4th St. NE
