Hey everyone,

Just thougt I would let everyone know a little about me and why I participate in RELAY FOR LIFE.

My name is Melodee and I am 33 years old.  I will be married 14 years Feb. 26 and I have 2 beautiful children.  My daughter Christian is 13 and my son Terry is 12. 

I have been involved with relay for life since 2003 as a volunteer because I have lost so many loved ones due to cancer.  In April of 2005 I found out that I had cervical cancer.  But with God's grace they were able to do a hysterectomy in May 2005 and I did not have to have any treatments.  So this May I will be 3 years cancer free.

My dad was diagnosed in August 2007 with prostate cancer.  Once again with God's grace the doctors were able to catch it early.  He just had his prostate removed yesterday at Vanderbildt Hospital in Nashville, TN.  They doctors told them yesterday that the cancer was only in the prostate and that it was not in the lymph nodes.  He will not have to have any treatments.

I have an aunt here in Sullivan that is terminally ill with colon cancer.  She has been a real fighter in this.  This is her second round with the cancer just this time they say that treatments will not help.  The doctors gave her 4 to 6 months back in August.  This is Feb which makes 6 months and she is still fighting with everything that she has.  She has a lot of bad days and back in November we thought that we were going to lose her.  But once again she fooled all of us.  She is one of the nicest people you would ever meet.  She tries to help people whenever she can.  She is only 49 years old.  I keep telling her that she can't go nowhere because I just recently moved back to Sullivan.

I also have another aunt that has leukemia.  She has been through so much and she tends to forget to take care of herself because she is trying her best to be with my other aunt as much as possible.  See, my two aunts that I am referring to is my dad's sisters.  They have always been close.  I am worried about the one with leukemia because when something happens to my other aunt then this one will fall to pieces.

As I said earlier, I am new back in Sullivan and would really like to get involved with the Relay for Life here.  I would really like to have my own team to raise money.  That part I have never done before, I have only been an team member.  I would like someone to give me advice on how to get started.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me.