August 11, 2008

Fighting back

Campbell’s Relay For Life raises $250,000 for ACS

By Jeanne C. Carbone
Editor

With a motto of Cel-ebrate, Remember and Fight Back, Campbell’s Relay For Life raised over $250,000 for the American Cancer Society on July 12 and 13.

Mayor Don Burr [center background] cuts the ribbon to start the 2008 Campbell Relay For Life that raises donations for the American Cancer Society.

“I was really worried,” said Relay For Life of Campbell’s chair Kim Carney. “The economy is so bad and ten days before the event we only had raised $58,000. The Campbell community really pitched in and made it happen like Kirkland Shopping Plaza becoming a silver sponsor overnight.”

The Campbell Relay For Life held at the Community Center last year raised $350,000. Carney, a first time chair was worried even though 60 teams signed up to participate, each raising funds. The two day event had over 900 participants as well as 200 youths and 70 cancer survivors.

Relay For Life is an overnight event that started in the mid-1980s designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs for the American Cancer Society [ACS]. It is now held around the world. During the event, teams of people gather and take turns walking or running laps over a 24 hour period.

Carney became involved with Campbell’s Relay For Life as a David’s Dragon team member in 2005. David was Carney’s husband who passed away from cancer. And then Kim was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has experienced first hand what research can do.

“We’re still fighting,” said KPMG team member Melissa Hardway walking with husband Greg Martin.

When Carney was first diagnosed with her type of cancer, she was given a 60 percent chance of a five year survival. Thanks to research and a new drug, she now has a 98 percent. ACS statistics for 2008 list 565,650 Americans are expected to die from cancer this year, more than 1,500 a day. In the U.S., the disease accounts for one in every four deaths. It is the second leading cause of death, exceeded only by heart disease.

“Everyone has their reason for being here,” said Carney. “But we are all here to celebrate the survivors and celebrate the ones we have lost.”

Mayor Donald Burr cut the ribbon that started the relays on the warm Saturday morning.

“Being a cancer survivor I can really appreciate this event,” said Burr. “It’s been 21 years this October. The Relay For Life is a great program.”

But for all the Relay For Life participants the goal is a cure for the disease. KPMG team member Melissa Hardaway relayed with husband Greg Martin, a cancer survivor, and daughter Araby, 15. “We’re still fighting,” said Hardaway.

For more information or to donate visit the American Cancer Society’s website at www.cancer.org.

Team KPMG raised over $1,225 and also sold candles at their booth at the Relay For Life event. Photos by Jeanne C. Carbone