Bobby Cherry has been a team member, donor and volunteer for a Relay For Life event near Pittsburgh since 1996 when his grandmother lost her battle with cancer. At the time, he was 13 years old.
In 2003, he became involved with his college Relay event in Erie, Pennsylvania, and in 2004 and 2005, he served as chairperson for that Relay.
In 2006, Bobby returned to his hometown Relay as the event chair. After 11 years, Bobby continues to Relay for his grandmother who lost her fight with cancer in 1996.
"I Relay for my other grandmother who lost her battle with cancer in 2001. I Relay for my neighbor who lost her battle with cancer in 2006. But I also Relay for Hope -- hope that more research will take us one step closer to finding cures for cancer. Until then, however, I Relay so that we continue to raise awareness about cancer in our communities and keep the cancer deaths declining," says Bobby.
We had a chance to ask Bobby some questions about his experience with Relay For Life.
Q: What is your favorite part of Relay?
A: My favorite part of any Relay is the Luminaria Service. Throughout the Relay, teams and volunteers are sometimes too busy to remember why they are there. But come the Luminaria Service, everyone pauses to reflect on the reason they Relay. It's so powerful knowing that no matter what each of our backgrounds or lifestyles are, we're all there for the same reason.
Q: Describe a perfect Relay in 30 words or less.
A: The entire community stops for just 24 hours to participate, donate and reflect on Relay For Life and the reasons we Relay.
Q: If you had to pick just one moment that has meant the most to you in regard to Relay, what would it be?
A: At my college Relay, while we were playing a song during the Luminaria Service, the Relay committee gathered, hugged and walked a lap together -- in silence. We observed all of the participants taking their time to reflect on their reason to Relay. It was so moving.
Q: What do you think is the perfect song for the Survivors’ Lap? The Luminaria Ceremony of Hope?
A: The song that is very inspirational for the Survivors' Lap is Melissa Etheridge's "I Run For Life." For the Luminaria Service, my favorite song is Josh Goban's "You Raise Me Up." Both songs are so powerful and moving. There are so many other great songs, but these two are ones that really mean a lot.
Q: If you could travel to another Relay anywhere in the country, where would you go and why?
A: I'd love to check out the Relay For Life of Reno/Sparks. Thanks to RelayForLife.org, I have been communicating with their chairperson, so it'd be nice to see how they do it.
Q: What is your favorite web site (other than RelayForLife.org)?
A: A Web site I find myself on often is www.ACSCAN.org. It's a great way to find out what's going on with legislation involving cancer. Anytime something happens in my state that deserves citizen action I get an e-mail to contact politicians. Within minutes, I've made my voice heard to my state capitol or Washington, D.C.
Q: What blogs do you read?
A: Most of the blogs I read daily are locally-operated. They include blogs from my local newspapers. But, this new RelayForLife.org has many great blog features that keep me signed in all the time and checking out the newest information posted. I'd encourage more Relay For Life folks to check out the Web site and get involved with it. I've already got a lot of great ideas and feedback from people all over the country who are willing to help anyone. It's so great to have a support chain for Relay online.
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