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July 27, 2006 - 3:00pm
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Declaring War on Cancer!
You know, I didn't start this. Cancer declared war on our family 8 years ago. The doctors told my 45 year old husband he had 6 months to live. Talk about crisis - we have 4 children and our lives were turned upside down.
Then a little more than a year ago I was also diagnosed with cancer. It affected the youngest boy the hardest - he's lived with the cloud of cancer hanging over his head as long as he can remember - and now Mom had it too.
Well I'm here to tell you - we are BOTH survivors! 
I didn't actually declare this war - but I sure as heck am going to FIGHT IT! I will NOT apologize for my passion about Relay for Life. I will NOT apologize for approaching folks in my community for yet another donation. I am fighting a WAR, and I need all the resources I can get! We need to announce we're fighting the worst terrorist - CANCER! We also need to announce the level of threat is PURPLE!
Cancer took the first aggressive step, but we're strong - we Relay - and we're committed to staying in this war until we WIN!
Jeanne G
SYV Relay
Why I Relay
I started because 8 1/2 years ago my brother Chris was diagnosed with colon cancer. He lived in Texas and I remember thinking this is something that happens to ereyone else, not us. I felt so helpless because he was so far away. They caught his cancer early and he is fine then Brookfield (West Cook) started a Relay 6 years ago and I thought this is my way of helping.
PART II why I still relay
After a year or so we were at a meeting and our RVP came in and told us how an ACS researcher had found the BRCA1 gene and how monies we raised went to the grant. Fast forward two years and my best friend is diagnosed with breast cancer and she gets into a study at Northwestern and she has the BRCA1 gene. Thank God for ACS Researchers. Cathy is fine and now a test can help her family to determine if they have the gene
Relay story
I got involved with the relay because if my mother-in-law she is a 17 year survivor of breast cancer. We started doing the relay in Indiana then we found out that Illinois had one so we started to go to that one then 5 years ago the Tinly Park ACS asked my husband and me if we would like to start a relay in our home town and we both said yes. Cancer runs on my side of the family also, I have 13 year old she loves to do this event with her friends I also got all my friends to do the relay with me I look forward to this event every June. I know that the money that we do at this event is going to help find a cure one day for all forms of cancer. Amy :)
Thanks for sharing...
Thanks for sharing your story, Amy. I love to hear about people who have started a Relay! My husband did the same thing in our hometown. And, as a matter of fact, I have a friend who Relayed in Tinley Park until she moved. I hear you have a great event!
It's about being a community that takes up the fight...
Joined: 2006-04-18