HI, MY NAME IS RONNIE.  I JUST WANT TO TELL EVERYONE THAT I STARTED TO GET INVOLVED WITH RELAY FOR LIFE WHEN I STARTED A NEW JOB WITH AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT CHARITY TO HELP OUT.  SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TWO MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY COME DOWN WITH CANCER. 

THE FIRST FAMILY MEMBER WAS MY GREAT NIECE ERIN.  SHE WAS ONLY FOUR AT THE TIME, AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE A BRAIN TUMOR.  THEY OPERATED IMMEDIATELY.  BUT IT DID NOT GO WELL AND IT LEFT HER WITHOUT MOTOR SKILLS.  SHE HAS BEEN THROUGH LOTS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY.  SHE IS NOW 8 YEARS OLD AND HAS JUST FOUND OUT THAT TWO TUMORS HAVE GROWN BACK IN HER BRAIN.  SO SHE WILL BE STARTING CHEMO AGAIN.  SHE HAS BEEN THREW SO MUCH THAT IT'S HARD FOR THE FAMILY TO EVEN TELL HER WHAT IS HAPPENING.

THE SECOND FAMILY MEMBER IS MY SISTER PAT.  SHE FOUND OUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THAT SHE HAD COLON CANCER. THE TUMOR WAS SO BIG THAT IT BROKE OUT OF THE COLON, AND WRAPPED AROUND HER OVARIES.  SHE HAD IMMEDIATE SURGERY TO HAVE THE TUMOR REMOVED AND HER OVARIES TAKEN OUT. AFTER AN MRI SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE CANCER HAD SPREAD THUR HER BLOOD SYSTEM TO HER LIVER AND LUNGS.  SHE'S BEEN ON CHEMO EVERY TWO WEEKS EVER SINCE.  IT'S NOT WORKING.  NOW SHE GOES TO SHANDS HOSPITAL EVERY MONTH TO HAVE CHEMO EMBOLIZATION.  THEY SEND THE CHEMO STRAIGHT TO HER LIVER THUR A TUBE INSERTED INTO HER ARTERY IN HER UPPER THIGH.