I participated in my first Relay For Life event when I was in the 6th grade. Growing up, my youth group always participated in Relay For Life events so when the spring of 6th grade rolled around, I was beyond excited to have the chance to stay up all night long! The theme for this event was “Through the Decades” so naturally dressing up was a must. As if the psychedelic 80's outfit itself wasn’t enough, I made sure that bright pink blush and blue eye shadow were a part of the finished look—not one of my better fashion forward moments…
While this was an incredibly memorable and enjoyable time, looking back, I really had no idea what impact Relay For Life events had on cancer patients, survivors, or even my own life. I had known neighbors, family friends, and acquaintances that had been affected by cancer, but the disease had yet to affect me on a truly personal level.
All of that changed the summer before my senior year of high school. On my family’s annual beach trip, we noticed a significant decline in my grandpa’s appetite level along with complaints of stomach pain. Shortly after he returned home, GrandJack was seen by a doctor and received his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. It was heart breaking. I couldn't fathom what was happening.
That summer was a whirlwind. My family spent many hours driving back and forth from our house in Roanoke to my grandparent’s house in Newport News. Although my grandpa began chemotherapy treatment, the cancer continued to invade. Each time we arrived at my grandparents’ house, GrandJack's state was progressively worse. It was so saddening to see the complete transformation of someone who was once so lively become so debilitated. After weeks of treatment without success, my grandpa eventually made the decision to discontinue his treatment as the pancreatic cancer became even more invasive and the chemo was no longer helping.
My grandpa was the ultimate people person; making anyone and everyone feel adored and appreciated. Even during his worst days, as the cancer took over, he never failed to complement me or tell me how much he appreciated all that I was doing for him. Maya Angelou’s quote sums my grandpa up perfectly when she said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That truly was my grandpa; he always made you feel incredibly special.
On September 16th, 2013, GrandJack, after a tremendous fight, passed away. To lose him was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced before and he is, with no doubt, thoroughly missed. Today, I Relay for GrandJack who kept hope and fought till the end.
I also relay for my Aunt Jane who was diagnosed with large cell neuroendocrine cervical cancer this past July. This diagnosis was particularly hard to comprehend due to her good health and young age. What’s more is that it felt like we had just grieved the loss of my grandpa so recently. This specific cancer is extremely rare with less than 100 women being diagnosed a year.
My Aunt Jane’s fight thus far has been steady but exhausting. The cancer is aggressive so therefore the treatment she is undergoing is aggressive. My aunt takes this new segment of her life day by day, as they each come with their own challenges. Despite the setbacks during her road to recovery thus far, her positive attitude and outlook on this journey are inspiring. Her updates on Facebook include notes on how to rock a scarf daily, the reason why Panera should sell a teal ribbon bagel in addition to their October pink ribbon bagel selection, and her attempts to find a slogan as catchy as “Save the Tatas” for cervical cancer. I, along with her many other supporters, wear my “Join Jane’s Fight” bracelet as a reminder of her battle with cancer everyday.
The bottom line is that Relay For Life’s mission is so important for you, for me and for everyone, because cancer affects all of us. I’ve come a long way in understanding the importance of what this organization does since my 6th grade year and I could not be more honored to be a part of a movement that hopes to see a cancer-free world one day.
But until then, I will continue to relay—for those who have lost their battle, the survivors, and those who are currently fighting.
[In loving memory of my grandpa and in honor of my Aunt Jane and her current fight].
RelayLOVE,
Fundraising Committee
