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From Pitney Bowes - Relay For Life of Adams (Atlanta)
I wanted to share with everyone a customer experience that we HOPE for, but rarely happens. Ken Bechard/VP CCS Sales, Troy Olsen/Dir. Solution Consultants, and I were invited to attend the American Cancer Relay for Life as participants on the National Headquarters Team in Atlanta. I had never participated in an event like this, so my expectations were unknown. What I had learned during the sales process with American Cancer was their culture regarding wellness and serving others is very similar to ours at Pitney Bowes.
We were involved in the setup of the event and met many great new people as we worked side by side preparing for the event. As we decorated the tent area in the theme of “ Barcelona” we learned more about each of the participants and their commitment to the fight against cancer. We also learned as most of us have experienced that some where along the way, whether it be a family member or friend, we have been touched by this devastating disease.
With the area prepared for the event we returned at 7:00 pm to experience the opening ceremony and all of the festivities which included music, dance, games and fund raising events. The teams began walking the track in groups and the track filled up with the many people committed to this fight and HOPE for a cure for this disease. There were many young people and school groups represented showing their support and HOPE which was surprising but very encouraging to see the hearts of our young people.
As we walked the track with people that we had just met, they shared their story of loved ones with words and tears and their desire and commitment to conquer cancer. This really filled my heart to be able to take part in something so important to these people.
The most awesome part of the event was at 11:00 pm when the “ Luminary “ began. The track was now lined with sacks, with lit candles in them, and each one reflecting a name of a person someone had lost to cancer. As different groups, beginning with the survivors who were there, came onto the track the lights were turned out on the football field until it was completely dark and you could only see the candles that lined the track and the candles that each person walking carried. In the stadium stands HOPE was spelled out in more lighted candles as the announcer continued to call the groups to the track. Having lost my father, mother-in-law and several aunts to cancer it was a fantastic feeling to be on the track doing something about beating cancer.
I am sure some of you have participated in a relay event, but for those who have not it is really something you need to experience. I initially looked at this event as a business networking event first but in the end it was truly a chance to share the culture and feelings of our company with a customer, and now many new friends, and contribute to the HOPE that we will find a cure for cancer.
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July 7, 2009 - 4:28pm
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Grandparents' First Relay
My first Relay was back in 2002, if I remember correctly... but the story I want to share is of my Grandparents' first Relay, which was in 2008.
I had been trying to get both of my Grandparents out to Relay for 6 years. Asking, begging, pleading... you name it, I tried it. Grandma battled colon cancer and won, and Grandpa battled both testicular and kidney cancer in two separate bouts (won both of those too). They DESERVED to be there and to take to the track, but neither of them felt like they'd done anything worthy of celebrating. They'd never set foot at the event and didn't really 'get it.'
Finally in 2008 I asked my Grandpa to BBQ for our team dinner. BINGO! That's what it took. He was thrilled to be our 'head chef' and agreed that I could register him as a survivor since he'd 'be there anyway.' I'm not sure if I asked Grandma or just told her... but she was registered too. They were both a little more willing to participate after I lost my dad in 2006 to lung cancer... they "did it for me" at the beginning, but in the end I think it meant more to them than they'd ever imagined.
The day of Relay is turned out to be over 100 degrees (unheard of for our cool mediterranean climate). My grandparents were both in our team tent, Grandpa was cooking, and Grandma was visiting with my mom, sister and our friends. I picked up their purple survivor shirts and insisited that they both put them on... I was sure I'd get a fight - but they actually looked excited! They both put on their medals, and come time for opening ceremonies, they walked toward the stage. Now they were both in their late 70's and hated the heat... Grandpa had a bad knee and we were all worried about them making it around the 1/4 mile track. We told them when they headed off for the survivor ceremony that they could stop when they got to our tent if they needed to. Wouldn't you know it... they came around the track, holding hands, got to our tent and kept right on going - waving and with tears in their eyes. They were on the track with 800 other survivors and they finally realized what all the fuss was about. They gave us teary-eyed smiles and waved... and so did we.
Now Relay is a staple part of our summers. They both participated again in 2009 and they'll be back in 2010. It's a family affair and I feel so very priviledged to be able to honor my amazing grandparents and to remember my dad... all while surrounded by family, friends and a wonderful community.
SURVIVORS:The Heart and Sole of Relay!
Each and every relayer has his or her own reason for relaying, but we all have “survivors” in common. It is our desire to see more survivors, to know that every person who hears the words“you have cancer” will not be afraid, but know it is just a pill, a shot or some other treatment that will eliminate the cancer from their body.
Until that day, we relay for those special moments – those moments that highlight why we relay, that let us know that “people don’t care how much we know, but know how much we care.” This moment was defined for Leann Komm, Relay For Life of Vancouver, WA on July 18, 2009 in an email to her relay friends:
I want to share the crowning moment of my Relay experience this year.
While getting coffee at the wonderful all night HOPE Coffee cart, a lady Survivor was speaking to another Survivor about her FIRST Survivor Lap experience.
She said "I didn't know if I could make it all the way around the track because I was so overwhelmed with the cheers and love that I felt." Then, when asked how she felt when one of us put the Survivor Medal around her neck she said "my breath was taken away and I cried because I felt so special!"
When I heard those words I cried and told her she just made my whole Relay year all worth it. I knew that all we go through -- the long hours, the meetings, the people we can't always make happy, the committee squabbles, etc., just don’t matter -- it is all about “the survivors and, the difference we make in their lives.”
Why I Relay
I relay for the same reason most people do. Cancer has changed my life. I have never had cancer myself, but I have lost loved ones to this horrible disease. Most recently, I lost my father.
Growing up, I looked up to my father and never thought much about the cigarette he would smoke while watching TV, or sitting in the Bingo hall while his National Guard unit ran the game with the smoke cloud so thick I can't understand how we were able to breath. Naturally, as a teen ager, I also started smoking. When I became pregnant and learned what smoking does to an unborn child, I made the decision to stop smoking, and have been smoke free for over two years now. If only my father would have made this decision as a young adult, he may still be with us today.
This year, my life and the lives of my siblings, have been on a whirlwind of worry and fear, and ultimately, greif. On April 10th, 2009, I received a phone call that my father had been admitted into the hospital for breathing complications. My father recently moved to Florida, and I live in Maine, so I could not just drive over to visit him. Over the next couple of days, Doctors ran batteries of tests on him, and on the 13th, we were told that we needed to make the trip to Florida to be with him. His condition was deteriorating so quickly, that the Doctors wanted to make sure we had a chance to say our goodbyes. This is the scariest phone call I have ever received.
I am one of 4 children, so we immediately got together to decide what to do. On the 15th, we left for Florida, driving 27 hours straight through to make it in time to say goodbye. At this time, we still did not know what was wrong with Dad, just that he was very ill and they couldn't figure out what was happening and why he fell so ill so fast. We arrived to see our father early on the 17th and spent our days at the hospital with him talking, making our peace with him, and getting his affairs in order. On the 19th, we were told that Dad had stage four cancer which appeared to have started in his stomach, and had metasisized to his kidneys and lungs. He was going to die and there was nothing anyone could do about it. My father died on April 25th, 2009.
I was angry......sad.......lost. What were we going to do without our father in our lives?
RELAY! We will Relay for the American Cancer Society. I relay to honor my father and all those we have lost to cancer. I relay to raise money so that more research can be done and a cure can be found. I relay to stay strong for my children who need me now more than ever. I relay to be close to my brothers and sister so that we can get through this together.
It is easy to dwell on the "what ifs". What if my father had early detection of his cancer? What if I would have gone to visit him sooner? I tell myself that I would have known that he was sick and would have gotten him help. If there is one important thing which I have learned from the American Cancer Socitey, it is to not dwell on the "what ifs" and look to making a difference for our future, for our children. Being a part of Relay is amazing. Reading my fathers name to honor him during the Lumineria ceremony was amazing. Knowing that there are so many people out there who share my experience and that we are all fighting this together is amazing.
Next year, I will be getting married. Not having my father there to be a part of our day will be hard, but I know that he will be with me always in spirit. He is no longer suffering and for that I am greatful.
My first Relay
Support Relay For Life...I do
George Pepper
My first Relay was the first year after my surgery, teatment, and recovery. I knew very little about Relay, so my wife (and caregiver) and I decided to go and see what it was all about. That night changed my life. We attended the opening ceremony and survivor lap and I cried (the first of several times that night). We left and came back later for the luminaria ceremony. We sat in the home team bleachers and stared accross the field at the large luminaries which spelled out the word "HOPE". We sat staring at the ground as the names were read. At one point, I looked up and the word "HOPE" had magically changed to "CURE". Once again, I cried. What a beautiful moment...one which I'll never forget.
This year I had the incredible honor of being chosen as the Honorary Chairman of our local Relay. I also got to fulfill a pledge I made to myself to one day chair the Luminaria Committee. Both were unforgetable experiences.
As we plan and participate in our local Relays, let us never forget that we have the oppurtunity to change other lives, just like ours were changed.
Missouri State University Relay
I first heard about Relay from my older sister, who had also participated at the University for her first Relay. When my floor in my dorm decided to make a relay team, I was all for it. I immediately begun typing up letters to send out to family members, including in the letters that I was participating in memory of both my grandpas and in honor of my aunt. And I sent them out to friends, family, and family friends. When the checks started coming in, I was shocked that despite the current economy people were donating $100. Many of my family members donated online, which turned out to be a really great feature. In the end, I had collected $2000.
When the event day rolled around, my team was pretty pumped. We got down to the field and set up a tent. I was shocked at how many teams and how many people showed up. The survivor lap was really incredible to watch and couldn't help thinking how awesome it would have been to see my aunt walking with them. That was the first moment of many when I got a little teary-eyed.
The University was really great at providing enough entertainment to keep us going all night. And since my team had raised so much money, we were invited into the VIP room with food, games, TV, and more. Not only was it awesome to spend an evening with the girls that I had grown so close to throughout the year, but it was inspiring to see just how many people had been touched by cancer just like I was. When it was time to light the luminaries it was amazing to hear the hush that came over the stadium. I found my bags that I had done for my family and sat by them as we watched the names of others on the big screen. As the music played I cried for what may have been the first time since my grandpas passed away. It was more than relieving to feel the support from so many others.
As the night turned to morning our energy was fading fast and when it was all over we all crashed in our beds. But when we talk about it today, we think of how much closer it brought us together with each other and the community. I'll never forget it. Thanks for giving me the opportunity Relay!
Triple Awesomeness Thanks to ACS
Submitted by wabisabis
I have this incredible friend. She battled and beat thyroid cancer in her 20s. I didn’t know her before she had cancer, so I couldn’t say if her personality has been changed by it. Perhaps she has always been so powerful. Perhaps she was always this inspiring. Perhaps she’s the type of person who has always taken on a challenge with a positive attitude. Perhaps she was always kind to others despite stressful situations. Perhaps her faith has always carried her over the mountains of life’s challenges. It’s easy to see that she was always this person…because she IS always this person. She is one of those rare people who is, simply, great. Perhaps cancer helped create this person or perhaps it was this person who defeated the cancer. Either way – this is someone from whom we (and, especially, I) could learn.
Because of this person, I decided to get involved with the American Cancer Society’s Relay-for-Life. It’s a relay that is completed overnight, symbolizing that cancer never sleeps. I had wonderful friends and colleagues who rallied at the last minute allowing our team to make a small contribution to the monumental challenge and, by the end of my shift, I left the relay thrice blessed.
First, I saw value in my actions. While I’m no saint, I felt like I was part of something bigger than my own egocentricity. Cancer is global and affects everyone. I believe each individual who attended this event was significant in pushing forward the momentum to increase cancer research. They were survivors. They were friends. They were family. They were celebrating. They were mourning. They were DOING something. I was lucky simply to be included.
Secondly, I was completely entertained! I heard several times throughout the event that this year’s planners were first-timers and apologies for things that might have been perceived as unsuccessful. However, I had an awesome time! To the planning committee – kudos! We all feel like we can do better and can learn from our mistakes – but for this newbie, it was pure joy!
Thirdly, I had the unique opportunity to spend dedicated time in the company of several friends and family all in one venue. With our chaotic schedules, it’s rare that I have such a social opportunity. So, besides the music, food, and fun family atmosphere – the event built personal relationships that are invaluable to me – while simultaneously doing something both healthy and meaningful.
So, I look to next year with enthusiasm and hope the one reader out there will come along for the ride - It’s worth it.
Jan Mather's First Relay
What a beautiful day the 39 teams had for the Stow Relay for Life: blue sky, sun, and a little breeze! I did quite a few walking laps around the track, as well as manning our team's fundraising table of colorful celebration ribbon-shaped candies. Bob was there much of the day enjoying the spirit of the event and Stacia, with Thomas in the stroller and Lydia walking and running, did a number of laps! Bob and I stayed until the luminaries were lit and we were back by 6:15 this morning for the Sunrise service and I did more laps.
It was an emotion-packed event and those Survivor laps, as well as the Survivor reception, were almost too much for the supply of Kleenex that I had on hald (those who know me well, know that I always have tears just waiting to escape from under my eyelids!) Don't know exactly what our team raised, but the final count will probably be a little under $4,500! (Last year Ohio raised $16 million dollars at the Relay for Life events -- a small amount CAN become a great amount!)
I have attached a pix of our team (we had two survivors on it); an ACS sign that acknowledges that Herceptin was funded in part by ACS research; and one of me geting caught up in the moment at a fundraising table that was doing hair extensions for a $10.00 donation -- mine is hot pink (I didn't realize it could last 4 months -- if it does, I may be the only one at my 50th class reunion who has to coordinate clothes with a hair extenstion)!
Thank you all for supporting me, whether it was through you thoughts, prayers, and/or mometary donation!
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