http://www.godvine.com/5-Year-Old-Cancer-Victim-Leaves-Behind-Messages-103.html

Luck? &%$# Luck.

I relay because I’m scared. I relay because for 19 years I was “lucky.” No one should be lucky the way I was. 

Cancer didn’t pick away at my family. My friends are healthy. Even my animals have remained unscathed. For 19 blissful years cancer was so far off my radar it may as well have been in another orbit. Cancer didn’t exist in my perfect world. 

Please don’t misunderstand, I knew people who had cancer, and I felt empathy for them, for their struggles and family. But I didn’t know cancer if you see what I mean. Sure, my mom’s friends dad had cancer— but again, out of my orbit. I don’t want to be misleading and make anyone think I’m leading up to some terribly tragic story because I’m not. 

I joined Relay because I believed it was for a good cause, because everyone did it, because it looked fun. Let me tell you something about Relay. It’s a lot of things. It’s a lot of work, it’s terribly tragic being surrounded by real people who have real experiences with cancer. Relay is beautiful. Relay is rewarding. Relay is enjoyable. But relay isn’t fun. 

Joining Relay did make me realize something though. I didn’t want to end up like the people around me who lost their moms, dads, grandparents, siblings, friends. I don’t want my kids, or their kids, or their kids kids, to know the pain of all the people around me. I don’t want anyone to feel the pain of cancer. I don’t want anyone to be like me: waiting for the day you get a phone call telling you your luck’s run out. 

Since I took this stance as to why I relay, my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. She found out in November. She was dead by February. There wasn’t enough time for me to accept she was sick before I was forced to accept she was gone forever. For the first time in my 19 years,  cancer was TANGIBLE. It left my uncle alone, my cousins motherless. Her grandkids will never know her humor or quick wit. Where is the justice in that? How can anyone live their life with this cloud of despair of humanity? Hope is the only way. 

No one should be as lucky as I was because it shouldn’t come down to luck. I want concrete facts. I want cures. I want more Birthdays. 

I Relay for…

All of us have different reasons why we relay. I relay for family: my grandma, Dorothy, a 45 year breast, ovarian, lymphoma and skin cancer survivor. I relay for friends: my best friend and survivor, Tara. I relay and remember those who have lost their battle: my grandfather, Walter, and for our family’s friends Gina, Father Jim Kissane, and June.

It’s amazing to think that millions of people will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Somebody close to us may be one of them. But, by taking part in Relay, we are helping the American Cancer Society save lives. Together, we have the power to help create a world where cancer can no longer claim another year of anyone’s life. Now, isn’t that a beautiful thing?

Why do you relay, what is your story?

Why I Relay

I Relay for many reasons. Four years before I was born, aunt was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She was constantly in and out of remission and her battle against the cancer was inspiring; she never gave up and looked at her cancer as just another part of life, not a death sentence. In the midst of her battle against cancer her mother, my grandmother, was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. They both had amazing courage and strength and truly fought against their cancer. Because of their battles, I Relay because I never want my children to have to see their loved ones become sick from cancer. I Relay so that I can see a cure for cancer in my lifetime!  

RCB

I relay for my classmate, Ryan Brennan.

Ryan was diagnosed with cancer my sophomore year of high school and he became a cause the entire town of Fairfield rallied for. Ryan passed away senior year, but he lives on in everyone who was fortunate enough to know him.

Just Beat It!

I relay because of the prevalence of cancer in my life. First, my grandma is an ovarian cancer survivor. I always hear her courageous story and look up to her in a way I can’t put into words. Also, a boy from my elementary school lost his battle to leukemia when he was thirteen. His family started the B+ (Be positive) Foundation. My entire community is so supportive and apart of this organization (look it up and donate!). In addition, my uncle Brian lost is battle to esophageal cancer in 2009. And lastly, my nana just died a year ago to lymphoma and lung cancer. They are all my heros, and I hope being apart of this community I can help fight cancer in any way possible. 

Why I Relay

There are many reasons why I relay. During my senior year of high school, my dad was diagnosed with Prostate cancer. Cancer had never hit so close to home until that day. Last year during my freshman year, my grandma was diagnosed with Breast cancer. Thankfully both my dad and my grandma are healthy. I also relay for my Aunt Jeenie and my Uncle Joey who both passed away from cancer when I was younger.

Why I Relay…

Today, it is difficult to find a person not directly affected by cancer. For as long as I can remember, the disease has had a presence in my life.  However, it did not have a directly personal affect on me until last November.  I had previously seen close friends parent’s battle against the disease, my parish priest lose the battle against pancreatic cancer. I’d followed Patrick Shwayze battle pancreatic cancer in tabloids, been inspired by his strength and “fighter attitude.”  Heard both awful and uplifting tales of cancer patients and survivors.  I fell in love with Relay for Life my freshman year at Loyola and instantly became involved.  But the disease took on a personal face for me when my aunt - the hard-working, incomparably strong single mother of two - was diagnosed with breast cancer.  This gave me all the more incentive to become involved in the fight against this widespread, rampant disease. 

Cancer does not discriminate.  It affects people of all backgrounds, all walks of life, all ages.  But life gives us two choices: to complain about the cards we are dealt or to fight with everything we have and triumph.  My aunt is among the millions who chose the latter. I chose to take action and fight. I relay for more birthdays and less deaths. I relay so less and less people and their families will have to hear the same diagnosis my aunt did. I relay for a cure. I relay for hope. 

I relay in memory of

I relay in memory of my grandpa who lost his battle to cancer in September 2010. He was one of the strongest people I know and fought with honor and grace. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him and his resilient heart and smile. I relay so that one day no one else has to fight this battle. 

Kick Off

Kick off is only 29 days away!!!! Make sure you’re all signing up/encouraging others to sign up for Relay teams!