Hundreds Walk To Raise Money For Cancer Research

Hundreds of people walked. Some walked in memory of a loved one or friend. Others walked for themselves. Regardless of who they were there for, the message they sent was clear: a cure for cancer must, and will, be found soon.

The annual Relay for Life walk kicked off Saturday afternoon. The annual event held at drew cancer survivors, patients, and their families to a common place to encourage, support, and love each other. They walked around the track all afternoon and night. The event was scheduled to end at 6 a.m.

“It’s a celebration of life,” said Christine Lai, 19. Lai was diagnosed with skin cancer when she was in junior high. The cancer was detected early enough and removed. Lai gets tested every year. “Eventually, we’ll find a cure for cancer but today is all about the need to celebrate the survivors.”

Lai’s mother Kasey was also diagnosed with skin cancer.

“There’s so many people passionate about finding a cure because there are so many more people now who are diagnosed with cancer,” Kasey said. “That’s how I know we’ll find a cure one day.”

The event is sponsored by, and raises money for, the American Cancer Society (ACS). As of early Sunday morning, 48 teams of more than 860 participants raised nearly $89,000 for the ACS.

Participants of all ages and races walked around the running track at the high school all night. The activity is designed to show that the fight against cancer never ends. It is . 

People also walked around the track during the Luminaria ceremony. Hundreds of bags lined the track, handwritten messages written on the outside of each one, a small light placed inside them.

Emanuela Stilianessis, a 4-year-old who was diagnosed with a tumor in her liver when she was a toddler, cut the ribbon to begin the walk. She is now in remission.

“It’s amazing,” Chris, her father, said of the event. “It’s only a matter of gathering more people to events like this. Then we’ll really be on the right track to finally raising enough money to find a cure for cancer.”

Caregivers were given small gifts and recognized for their efforts to assist those who have to go through the daily battle of living with cancer.

Wayne resident Joe Crowley addressed the crowd. Crowley is a colon cancer survivor. He was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a few years ago. He said perseverance is a necessary characteristic of the fight against cancer.

“I could do one of two things: I could just quit and go into a shell or I could choose to suck it up and fight,” Crowley said. “I choose the latter. We must believe in ourselves. We must never believe in defeat.”