I am a survivor too. I have never heard the words directed at me "You have cancer". I have never had a single drop of chemo run through my veins. I have never had a radiation treatment. I am a cancer survivor. I have sat countless hours in doctors waiting rooms and many more hours in the chemo rooms. I have been in multiple hospitals for what seemed like an unending number of treatments & procedures. I have traveled many miles to these doctors offices, hospitals, clinics and cancer centers. I am a survivor. I have survived the cancer deaths of my beloved husband, Bruce and also my Dad. I live every day knowing my children are at a higher risk of developing one of these awful diseases. I fight every day through Relay for Life, ACS CAN, and the ACS to do whatever I can to stop cancer. I fight because having survived cancer I know no one should have to hear the words "You have cancer". I fight because if my kids ever hear those words it won't be as devastating as it is now.

I have been involved in Relay since 2005. My husband Bruce was diagnosed with early stage 4 colon cancer in December of 04. He died just over a year ago in March of 07. It is so frustrating to think his cancer may have been prevented by a colonoscopy instead of the sigmoidoscopy he had 2 years prior to diagnosis. Bruce was just 56. Also last year my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer.  He died two weeks later due to complications from the surgery to remove the tumor. So I lost two of the most important men in my life just eight weeks apart. They are my reason to continue to relay. I have several aunts & uncles that have also died of several forms of cancer so it has really impacted my family.