CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 45 giving I n 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal sur- geon in Tacoma, Washington, unintention- ally founded the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life program. To demonstrate the fight of a cancer survivor from diagnosis through treat- ment and to raise awareness for his local American Can- cer Society office, he ran and walked around a track for 24 hours. Dr. Klatt logged 83 miles and raised $27,000 to ben- efit cancer research. A few hundred friends paid $25 to run and walk with him. e rest, as they say, is history. is year, in 5,200 communities in the United States and in 20 countries, 4 million cancer survivors, caretak- ers, family and friends will come together at night to walk laps around a track literally illuminated by hope, as "lumi- narias," paper bags filled with sand and a candle, are lit in honor of cancer fighters and survivors. More than $400 million – $5 billion since 1985 – will be raised for groundbreaking research and support services for patients. Cumberland County has been holding a Relay for Life event since 1995. is year, Relay will be held at 6:00 p.m. on May 2 on the track of Village Christian Academy on South McPher- son Church Road. Last year, the event raised more than $88,000. is year, the committee hopes to raise $105,000, but co-chair and cancer survivor Teresa Tanner is adamant that the purpose of the event is more than dollars raised for a cure. "So many people are helped, locally, by this event. relay for Life and warrior angels illuminate life for cancer survivors and the families who have lost a loved one By COurTnEy PHILLIPs So many more lives would be touched if people knew we are here. at is the goal," she expressed. From transportation to treatment and support from oth- er cancer survivors, to wigs and programs to improve the self-image of women in treatment, the impact of participat- ing or contributing locally is clear: 136 cancer patients in Cumberland County benefitted from services of the Amer- ican Cancer Society in 2013. Cumberland County's Relay will kick off with a lap just for survivors. As darkness falls, the Luminaria ceremony will take place to remember those touched by cancer. Fi- nally, participants take place in a powerful Fight Back cer- emony, where everyone commits to have a positive effect on the fight against cancer. Each team is encouraged to have a member on the track at all times throughout the night, because cancer never sleeps. Warrior Angels Her husband was in Iraq when Kris omas was diag- nosed with stage I infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Her two children were with a babysitter for the appointment, and as is the case for many women in the area, her core support system was hundreds of miles away. She le the hospital shocked and confused, with only a plastic bag containing a few pamphlets to guide her fight against breast cancer. Four years later, with a clean bill of health, she felt com- pelled to give back. Her thoughts kept coming to rest on Lighting a Path of Hope

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