Relay for Life celebrates camaraderie as well as raising funds

Ever since a Washington state physician stepped onto a track in 1985 to raise money for the fight against cancer, the Relay for Life movement has raised nearly $5 billion for patient services and cancer research.

The worldwide effort has local impacts, with communities coming together to support friends, neighbors and colleagues stricken by cancer.

“It’s a way to reflect, to come together and to support other people,” said Susan Korcz, the Relay for Life community manager with the American Cancer Society in Napa. “They want to know there’s someone else out there.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 1 million people in the United States get cancer each year. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer, followed by prostate and lung cancers.

There are several Relay for Life events in the North Bay, including those in Calistoga, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Sonoma Valley. The 24-hour events typically run from May to August, when teams camp out around tracks, celebrate camaraderie and raise funds to battle cancer and support those who are fighting the fight.

Proceeds go toward services including transportation to cancer treatments, discounted medications, support groups and programs offering beauty techniques to help women improve their appearance and self-image while undergoing treatments.

Although activities vary in each community, Relay for Life events typically begin with a Survivors’ Lap and include a Luminary Ceremony at night when hundreds or thousands of paper bag luminarias pay tribute to cancer survivors or honor the memory of those taken by the disease.

Volunteer teams collect pledges, hold various fundraising events leading up to the Relay and often sell items at on-site bazaars or crafts fairs. Live music, games and activities typically continue throughout the day and night.

Although the fundraiser began as a relay, not every event requires round-the-clock walking or jogging around the track. For some, the track is more symbolic.

To join or create a Relay for Life team or to serve as a volunteer, call Susan Korcz at 291-0230 or email susan.korcz@cancer.org. For more information about Relay for Life, visit relay.acsevents.org.