Relay for Life

"Celebrate.  Remember.  Fight Back." ~Relay for Life Theme

This weekend, I headed north to participate in a Relay for Life.  I had served on the RFL committee a couple of times in college, but this was my first time to participate since then.  There was a team who was walking in memory of my Uncle David, who we lost over Christmas, so I knew I had to join in.

If you've never been, you should go.  It's amazing to see so many people come out to support a great cause.  (Including the Colfax County Democrats, who drew glares from Cousin Kevin every time we passed their tent on our laps!)


The family representatives



No doubt we were solving the world's problems.



Survivor Lap

What struck me the most was the sheer number of people that have been affected by cancer.  We were at a high school track,and the track was lined--both inside and outside lanes--with luminarias.  Each representing a person who was currently fighting cancer, or who had lost their battle.  Every one of those bags represented a person, and their story.  And for each of those persons, there are so many more--husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, children and friends--whose lives were changed by that person's disease.

Uncle David

Sadly, my family has had more than our share of those stories.  Uncle Buddy is our survivor.  But  many have not been so fortunate.  Uncle David.  My grandma, Nannie.  Her three brothers:  Uncle Henry, Uncle David and Uncle George (who apparently died several years ago when I was in college and no one bothered to tell me....I found out this weekend).  Seeing their photos hung on the wall of the tent, and their names written on luminarias lit up around a track, and hearing their names read on a list a mile long of those who had been lost only drove that point home.

Uncle David



Luminaria for Nannie



Nannie and my great uncles

I pray that one day, there will be no more Relay for Life.  That there will be new new luminaria bags to line a track.  Until then, I am honored to have been a part of this event, in memory of my Uncle David, and all the rest of the people in my life who have (and still are) fighting against cancer.