Relay For Life brings men, women and children together for an amazing gathering of celebration and remembrance. It raises funds for the fight against cancer; a disease that will affect one in three Americans in their lifetime, accounting for more than 1.5 million cases this year.

It celebrates life, remembers those lost and empowers others to fight back. What is it? It’s the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, and it’s happening soon in your community.

With May 16 also being Armed Forces Day we would like to invite all veterans, active military and their families to come out and join us for an honorary Armed Services Lap at the opening of Lawrence County Relay For Life at noon. We would like to honor your commitment, dedication and devotion to our country in this wonderful annual celebration.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is one important way to make a difference in the fight against cancer. This year, millions of Relay participants in thousands of local communities across the country will raise millions of dollars to further the American Cancer Society’s mission of saving lives and creating more birthdays by helping people get well, helping people stay well, finding cures and fighting back. So what happens when you support American Cancer Society Relay For Life? Here are just a few examples:

• Helping you stay well. Finding cancer early can mean the difference between life and death. The society helps you take steps to prevent cancer or detect it at its earliest and provide the most up-to-date information about how to reduce your cancer risk by healthy lifestyle choices. Contact 1-800-227-22345 or cancer.org for more information.

• Helping you get well. Having cancer is hard. Finding help shouldn’t be. The society is in your corner, around the clock to guide you through your cancer experience. The society can help patients and their families make informed decisions about care, find moral support from others who have been there and offer practical solutions to daily challenges.

• Finding cures. The society funds and conducts groundbreaking research that helps scientists understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it. The society is the largest private funder of cancer research.

• Fighting Back. Cancer is not just a health issue, but a political issue. The society advocates for people to have access to critical cancer screenings and follow-up treatment – regardless of income. Some examples include: increasing government funding for cancer research, establishing smoke-free policies, and improving access to affordable, quality healthcare.

The American Cancer Society spends the funds raised through Relay For Life on cancer-fighting efforts that benefit everyone in the community.

This year, the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Lawrence County will take place from noon-midnight on Saturday, May 16 at South Point High School. For more information, call LaChona Ferguson at 740-708-5186 or email Lachona.Ferguson@cancer.org.

Cabell County Relay For Life will take place on from 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday, June 5 at Huntington High School. More information can be found at www.relayforlife.org/cabellwv.

We are also looking for Road to Recovery drivers in Cabell County as well as Lawrence County.

For more information in Cabell County please contact Holley Durham, Community Manager at 304-523-1939 at the American Cancer Society, 611 Seventh Ave., Huntington, WV, 25701.

Cabell County would like to offer local information as well as resources such as wigs. For more information contact Terri Francis, program manager, Mission Delivery at 304-523-1939.

 

LaChona Ferguson is the community manager for the Relay for Life east central division of the American Cancer Society.