Share Your 1st Time Experience by adding a comment below

From Pitney Bowes - Relay For Life of Adams (Atlanta)

It all started when I got accept to the Rescue Dive Team with the Douglas County Sheriff's Dept.  I opted to have the full physical done so that I was sure there was nothing wrong.  I felt healthy.  Well as it turned out I was told that I had cervical cancer.  I remember sitting at the kitchen table and my husband in his chair and we just looked at each other.  Shocked.  Neither of us could speak.  I honestly cannot remember what happened for the next 10 minutes.  We sat quietly.  Even though we were assured that it was operable and all would be fine.  Just hearing the work "cancer" silenced us.

This morning I was asked to emcee for tonight's event. I was wondering if anyone would like to share their story on why they relay. This would be the backbone of the hours of my emcee. Many of the people this year doing relay is their first time and I would like to show how Cancer effects everyone. The feeling I have would it will give great benifits for those to see not only the people on campus is doing it. But, its a movement across the nation as well as its in the 25th year.

Also if you have any other suggestions for me as well.

Sully

 This Year Me and my family relayed for the very first time in Memorie of my grandmother who passed away last year due to cancer. I was very honored to be in such a special event it touched me very much how wonderful this event is and how so many people come together for one day and relay for all those who are still fighting and for all those who lost the fight to cancer. I made a promise to myself that as long as they have this wonderful event that me and my family will be there to relay.

Our Next Relay for Life will be held

Feb 28,2009 Miami,Florida

thats where i am from

and the kickoff party will be held on

Sept 17,2008

I can't wait for next year's Relay!

I have been participating in Relay for Life for a few years now. I'm not a veteran by any means and never claim to be. The reason I started Relaying is because I have lost loved ones to cancer and don't want others to have to go through that so I Relay to help raise the money needed to combat this vile condition.

 Recently, however, I have become disappointed in others who participate. This prior weekend I participated in the Labette County Relay for Life here in Kansas and was quite disappointed in a few of the teams. Due to possible inclement weather the layout for the Relay had been slightly altered and when word came that storms were coming, the committee made the decision to move the Relay into the LCC gymnasium, which had been the plan all night due to the possibility of storms.

Once the word had arrived that the Relay would be moved indoors, several of the teams overran the decision of the committee and decided to pack up and go home. This is a sad travesty and a disappointment. I just have one thing to say to the teams that decided that since they would have to endure some hardships they were going home.

Rich "Moose" Hale

I am the youngest (5th) child of the Quilt Lady. In 2007, to honor mom, I walked more than 250 miles in 3 relays (Fair Oaks 72.5, Antelope 86, and Pacifica 100.25), sponsored the Orangevale relay and chaired the Survivor committee and sponsor the survivor tent.

In 2008, to remember mom I will double my efforts. I plan to walk 500 miles (in how ever many relays that takes), sponsor at least 2 relays, chair 2 committees (1 for Fair Oaks, 1 for Orangevale) and sponsor at least 2 survivor tents.

help

It often surprises me how many lives the effects of cancer have touched... because for so long I have felt like the only one.

I am starting a Relay team this year because both of my parents have cancer and Iw wish not a single more soul to endure such hardships, especially not children, daughters, sons, and relatives. When I was in 7th grade of Middle School, just four years ago for myself, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. My dad was diagnosed in his teenage years. Even after the diagnosis, assessment, surgery, chemo, radiation, and continuing appointments, I still do not talk of it much. The week that my mother was diagnosed was coincidentally Spring break and upon returning to school I uttered not a single word of what had happened... looking back I find it surprising, but at the moment it just seemend natural. I thought it was my responsability to reconcile with what was happening, but looking back I think it should have been anything but.

Everyone out there needs to be aware of the massive amounts of support available to them when dealing with the effects of cancer on loved ones. I have always avoided speaking of it, discussing it, or mentioning it, and for those very reasons it slightly frightens me that I am starting a team. I know I will have to confront issues and feeling that I have surpressed for so long.

Each of us has our Reason to Relay and I would like to invite you all to share your reasons with your fellow Relayers throughout Illinois. In sharing your story, volunteers and staff find inspiration, hope and reasons to keep fighting back against cancer!

I Relay in memory of my parents and grandparents and I Relay in honor of my family members who have beaten this horrible disease. But I also Relay for myself, because it was through Relay that I began to heal after losing Mom. It was Relay that showed me that people can survive and it is Relay that brings all of you into my life!!