Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Relay for Life coming to Fayette in May

The American Cancer Society's Relay For Life is an overnight team event to fight cancer. A team captain gets together at least 10 of his or her closest friends, co-workers, family members, etc. and forms a team. The team members go out and collect contributions prior to the event and then celebrate the end of fundraising at the Relay.

Relay for Life starts at dusk and ends at the next day’s morning. The light and darkness of the day and night parallel the physical effects, emotion, and mental state of a cancer patient while undergoing treatment.

The Relay begins when the sun is setting. This symbolizes the time that the person has been diagnosed as having cancer. The day is getting darker and this represents the cancer patient’s state of mind as they feel that their life is coming to an end.

As the evening goes on it gets colder and darker, just as the emotions of the cancer patient does. Around 1-2 a.m. represents the time when the cancer patient starts treatment. They become exhausted, some sick, not wanting to go on, possibly wanting to give up. The participants have been walking and feel much the same way. They are tired, want to sleep, maybe even want to go home, but they do not stop or give up.

Around 4-5 a.m. symbolizes the coming of the end of treatment for the cancer patient. Once again they are tired, but they know they will make it.

The sun rising represents the end of treatment for the cancer patient. They see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that life will go on. The morning light brings on a new day full of life and excitement for new beginnings for the cancer patient. The participants feel the brightness of the morning and know that the end of the Relay is close at hand. When participants leave the Relay, they think of the cancer patient leaving their last treatment. Just as they are exhausted and weak, so is that person after treatment.

If you know a cancer survivor, this is their story. They are your “Reason to Relay.” Join or form your own Relay team today. Contact Sheri Waynick, community income manager, at 770-460-8920. If you are a cancer survivor, come join us and walk the first lap of Relay as an honored guest.

The Relay is Friday, May 6, at the Kiwanis Fairgrounds. If you are not part of a team this year for Relay, join us at 7 p.m. when the event starts, walk with us, share stories with us, have fun with us all night long.