Hello All!

I am so excited to attend my first Relay event for this season!!  My first event this year will be the Nordic Style event that is held in Vermont!!  I am so excited to experience the Nordic Style Relay and meet all the people in the community that are creating a world with more birthdays!!!  If you're going to be at this event please feel free to reply to my blog here or email me at relay_with_me@yahoo.com!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks,

Jemma Cabral - Two Time Cancer Survivor

Relay CAN Chair, Northwest Suburban Region, Illinois

Hello Fellow Relayers!

Can you believe that the first month of 2010 is almost over?  I know I can't.  I am very EXCITED for this year's Relay season and creating a world with more birthdays!  Last year for the 25th birthday of Relay For Life I attended a total for 30 (Scheduled for 25 and ended up at 5 extra) Relay For Life events in Illinois, Wisconsin, Canada, and Tacoma Washington where it all began!  This year I plan to attend more in events for what I call my "Tour of Hope."  However, I need some help!  So far, I have been invited to and will be attending Relays in Ohio, California, Puerto Rico, Vermont (Nordic Style event), Wisconsin, Indianna, and of course Illinois.  I am still looking for events to attend in the following states:

I don't "blog" often. However, tonight I am taking to the internet to share some things heavy on my heart and mind tonight:

Hello Relayers!

This story was featured in the local newspaper today:

http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2009/06/23/r_6qcdpehqrjcw_fmnjono8q/ind...

Happy Reading!

Together in the fight,

Jemma Cabral

Look at this like the David Letterman's Top 10 List...  Except, I made it my Top 25 in honor of the 25th Anniversary of Relay For Life. 

For more details in regards to my mission and project of attending 25+ Relay Events please see my blog post, "A Reflection of 25 Years of Relay and My 25 Relay Mission Relay Mission This Year..."

On Friday, March 20, 2009 I attended my first indoor Relay and college event! There were over 500 students from Loyola University Chicago in attendance! The theme this year for the Relay was “Superheroes and Villains.” My Survivor shirt says, “Superhero” on the back! I love it! The evening started off with an intimate Survivors Reception at the local café a few blocks away from the college. There, we were served the most decadent and rich chocolate cake! Then we headed back to Loyola where the Survivors were treated like hometown superheroes! The Survivors Lap consisted of about 8-10 people. It may have been a small group from what I was use to, but the Survivors Lap still held its powerful tone of hope as we circled around the Gentile Center.

When I was only five years old a man named Dr.

If I had to sum up my life in one sentence it would be…”Remember the rule of two.”  I am sure many of you are wondering why I say that.  Well, just to give all of you an idea of what I mean here’s a little background info (for those who really know me, know the irony of things happening in two’s goes well beyond this…) Two time cancer survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, two time Event Chair for the Relay For Life of Des Plaines, had two friends diagnosed with cancer the same year I was.  Now, last, but not least…two of my friends’ moms were diagnosed with cancer in the last few months.  Yet, I won’t let this bring me down…why?  I have just been given two more reasons to FIGHT BACK!

I was at Walgreens store today (I work for their corporate office) shopping for cards for my two friends’ moms.  I found this very inspiring card.  So, of course I bought two of the exact same cards because I felt that it was fitting for both.  I wanted to share with all of you the words on this card.  So, quick disclaimer…I didn’t write this nor do I know the author of this!