Susan Swensen has been participating in Relay For Life since 1996. Since then, she has been diagnosed, fought, and defeated breast cancer...and has been a survivor for the last four years. For Susan, Relay For Life is worth Celebrating because of the way that her entire community of Pine Bush has grabbed a hold of the fight against cancer. "Just to see that many people in one place all there for the same reason, to find a cure, is something you have to see," she says.

Susan is the event chair for the Relay For Life of Pine Bush, NY, but her volunteer experience did not begin there. In 1996, Susan joined the Relay For Life community as a team member. At the time, there was not an event in Pine Bush, New York. Eventually, Susan decided to become the Team Captain of her own team, and in 2005, she helped to bring Relay For Life to Pine Bush. In just three years, the Relay For Life of Pine Bush has raised more than $318,000.

Susan encourages people within her community to stop by the event to get an idea of what it's all about. From there, she is confident that seeing the passion, dedication, and commitment from the participants will be enough to inspire these newcomers to become involved the following year.

In 1991, Susan lost her father to brain cancer after he had fought it for a third time. She used his strength to help her get through her own diagnosis. Susan has accepted her mission to educate her own community about screening guidelines, the importance of early detection, the options for treatment available, and most of all - to find a cure!

"Relay allows me to gain strength from those around me, for me to provide others with the srength to move forward as a survivor or caregiver. When you see the entire community supporting a cause that is so close to your heart, you work just a little harder," says Susan, of how Relay For Life helps her to fight back.