Like many of us, Jenn Jarrett knew there was more she could do to reduce her risk of developing cancer.

She had lost a beloved aunt to cancer in 2003. Yet the need to prevent the disease in her own life didn't come full circle until last September, when she attended a planning rally for a local American Cancer Society Relay For Life® event.

"At the rally we were challenged to make a personal pledge that would fight cancer," Jenn recalls. "I had read about the link between overweight and cancer, and I realized the best pledge I could make would be to lose weight and improve my own health."

She started with her sneakers
Jenn began by taking a good look at her diet and becoming more active. "I started out by walking, because the weather was great and it didn't cost me anything," she says. But as winter approached and temperatures dropped, she says, her resolve started to slip.

Fortunately, Jenn came across an offer for 8 free weeks at a local health club. "The workouts made all the difference," she says, "so I made the commitment and bought a full membership. It's expensive -- but I felt I couldn't afford not to do it!"

Exercise, better nutrition and the encouragement of friends and family have helped Jenn take off an amazing 98 pounds in the 9 months since she made her pledge. Here are a few tips she offers for those who want to make – and keep – their own weight loss promises.

Weigh yourself, but not too often. "It's easy to get discouraged that way," she says. "I just monitor my progress, and when I see I've moved forward, I reward myself."

Don't cut everything you love out of your diet. "If you're craving something, eat just a little of it," she says. "You'll feel satisfied and that will help you stay on track."

When you blow your diet, forgive yourself -- instantly. "Everyone makes mistakes," she says. "You eat a huge serving of something that you shouldn't, and then you feel so bad. It's better if you just say to yourself, ‘It's no big deal – I'll start again right now.'"

Don't be afraid to switch up your program. "You hit plateaus ... it gets harder along the way. I had to vary my exercise routine, taking a break for a day or two and then returning. It works."

Feeling great will reward you and keep you going. "For the first time in a long time, I feel really healthy," Jenn says. "It's the greatest gift ever ... like a second chance at life."

We salute Jenn Jarrett's achievement – and encourage you to follow her example and Fight Back toward a healthy, cancer-free lifestyle. For a full set of tools to help you get started, check out the Great American Health Challenge.

Relay volunteer, Marlene Goble’s Relay is Fighting Back and getting healthy through the Raise and Drop Challenge. They are raising money for Relay and dropping unhealthy pounds – all through their online community. Marlene is the Online Chair for the Crow Wing County Relay in Brainerd, MN and tells us about her enthusiasm for Fighting Back!

Q: How did you get your participants excited about fighting back and keep them engaged throughout the year?

A: I first heard about Fight Back at The National Leadership Summit in Dallas and again at our Midwestern Regional Summit. I was excited to incorporate a Fight Back Ceremony into our Relay event but wanted to implement something sooner. It was just before Christmas when I was talking to my sister, Marcia about the annual New Years Resolution to lose weight when I realized that others too would be making that same resolution. I contacted my staff person, our Relay committee and the team captains to see if there was interest in starting an online support group for people who wanted to lead healthier lifestyles. The response was good and we rolled it out Jan 2nd.

To keep the program fresh, we have a topic of the week, tips and thoughts where participants write in about their week and provide tips and support to others, lots of recognition, clubs such as the dropped a size club, pedometer club and 10, 20 and 30 pound clubs (refers to weight that they have lost). We have become a very close group and everyone is excited to meet at our Relay event the end of July.

Q: How will you include the results of this challenge in your FB ceremony at your Relay?

A: So far, our group has lost over 200 pounds and we are planning to have that represented with over 200 one pound butter containers at our Relay event. Each butter container represents a pound that we have lost. It will be awesome to see our successes displayed in such a fun and powerful way. In addition, each participant will be recognized and rewarded and we have a special lap that they can walk during our FB ceremony.

Q: Other than the obvious successful result of losing unhealthy weight, what other positive outcomes have been achieved?

A: We also refer to our program as The Raise and Drop Program. We are raising money for Relay and dropping unhealthy pounds and habits. To join, participants donated $20.00 to their team. That encouraged early team registration and online donations. In addition, Relay began to feel that it was more than something you do a few weeks before the event. Relay also became more than just a fundraising event, it became a force to help participants fight back and make changes that may help keep them cancer free. In addition to the $20 fee, we have other fun promotions and ways to raise additional money for Relay. Our Eat Right Program gave us a way to promote Fight Back sooner.

Q: What would you recommend to other communities who would like to follow in your footsteps and try this challenge? Any advice?

A: We have committed the entire year to our Eat Right Program. For this program to work, you need someone who is committed to promoting it, implementing it, managing the emails, and submitting periodic updates. It has been a very fulfilling experience to watch people take control over their eating habits, get more active and lead healthier lives. We have lost over 200 pounds and we can see that difference and that feels great but we may never know the real advantage in our program. We may have added additional years to someone’s life and that makes it all worthwhile.

Written in memory of those who fought and in honor of those still fighting…
Stephanie A. Freeman…DAUGHTER OF A SURVIVOR

The diagnosis will devastate you
And the treatment at first you may doubt
The “not knowing” will get you too
This is what cancer is all about

The words I speak come from deep within
Many memories both good and bad
I look around at where I’ve been
FIGHTING BACK for what I have and what I once had

The Relay For Life of Hallettsville received a donation of Houston Astros tickets and decided not to raffle or auction them off at the event. Instead, Carie Smith, Community Development Manager of South Texas tells us that they used them in their Fight Back essay contest.

The contest was open to any participant of the Relay. They were asked to write an essay on what Fight Back meant to them and how they were going to incorporate it into their lives for the year to follow. The winner would not only receive the tickets, but would also be recognized at the Relay and be asked to share their essay at the Fight Back Ceremony.

The local ACS Board judged the contest entries. Carie tells us that they had a hard time choosing a winning essay, as all entries were so powerful and moving. This is a great way to get participants involved in the Fight Back Ceremony. Way to go Carie!

An excerpt from the winning entry
By Kristen Jahn

Cancer has hit close to home in my family and that is why we work so hard when it comes to Relay time to raise as much money as we possibly can. However, the Relay For Life is only one thing I can strive for each year and I am bound and determined to “fight back” against this beast of a disease 365 days a year.

As stated on the ACS website, “cancer is not just a medical issue. It is also a psychological, social, economical and therefore a political issue, as well.” That is why one of my most important ways I fight back is by taking action on issues I consider very important. I already email – and will continue to email – my senators and take every chance at wok to spread the word to fellow employees to do the same. I email on topics such as cancer funding. It is extremely important that we urge our senators to support such amendments and let them know that cancer is one of our priorities and should also be one of theirs. Just last week, I emailed my senators and encouraged them to vote in favor of the Specter-Harkin amendment. The US Senate voted on this amendment and I received an email today, March 20^th, 2008 that 95 to 4 supported and voted in favor of this amendment that increased cancer funding for the first time in six years.

I have also become a member of ACS CAN to help advocacy efforts on behalf of patients and all of those touched by this disease. It is crucial we encourage others to do the same. As ACS CAN informs us, “Through the tools and resources made available through this organization, voters can be informed on how their elected officials and candidates for office stand on fundraising for cancer research, access to care, patients right, and other issues critical to eliminating pain and suffering from cancer.”

These are just a few ways I intend on fighting back against cancer throughout the year. It will take commitment to conquer the war on cancer but together we CAN fight back against this disease!