I first got involved with Relay at my job. My good friend Brenda said she had done relay and it was a blast. The spring after that first relay, my mother was diagnosed with "small-cell" lung cancer. Needless to say, relay took on a whole new meaning. Nine months of chemo and radiation--Mom lost her fight. She passed on to Glory on Jan. 11, 2002. Five years to the day of us losing my Aunt Betty-mom's sister to the same disease. I helped in Relay for the next few years.
I missed our Relay in June, 2005--the day of the Relay I was being released from the hospital after having a large fibroid removed. They found cancer in the fibroid, so my utuerus was taken as well as 10 lymph nodes. And was tagged by the doctor as a "cancer patient in remission". Leaving the hospital, I begged my sister to take me just to the end of the street from the hospital to stop at the Relay. She stood her ground and I went home. Since then I've had one other surgery for a tumor on an ovary(no cancer was found). I've had clean screenings for the last 3 years.

I've lost many others to cancer, but the one that hit me hard was a young girl named Shelley Smith. I babysat Shelley and her twin sister Susan from the time they came home from the hospital until they were about 2 or 3. Life and circumstance took me elsewhere, but I never forgot them or their family.
I moved out of state. My sister called me one day and says "you better sit down." My heart sank when I heard those words, "Shelley's got cancer". Being almost 300 miles away, and just having my second surgery, I couldn't go see her right away. I kept praying that God would give her the miracle He gave me. I traveled by train a week and a half after my surgery to go see her. We had a nice visit, me trying not to cry and her trying to hide her pain behind her big, bright smile. As I got on the train, I knew I wouldn't see Shelley again this side of heaven. One week past her and Susan's 20th birthday, surrounded by her family, Shelley said farewell.

Shelley, Mom, Aunt Betty, Grandpa, family, friends and Me--thats why I Relay!!!!!!!!!