Many members of the Hamilton Community will be taking an active role in the fight against cancer this weekend as they participate in The Relay For Life, June 7-8.
One of the Hamilton teams is "Breanna's Buddies" dedicate to the memory of Colene and Craig Burnop's daughter, Breanna. She was 3-years-old when she lost her battle with a rare childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. The team includes Colene (Business Office) and Craig (Campus Safety) Burnop; Ceil Gilbert (Business Office); Lynn "Mort" Morton (Mail Center) and his wife, Abby Morton (Burke Library). "Breanna's Buddies" will be at the Sauquoit relay site from 10 a.m. on June 7 to 10 a.m. on June 8.
Anyone interested in participating or cheering the walkers on can attend any of the Relay For Life sites:
Utica - JFK Middle School
Rome - NYS School for the Deaf
Sauquoit - Sauquoit High School
Ilion - Ilion High School
Camden - Camden High School
General team donations are still being accepted, as well as donations for luminaria candles, which are $5 each. If you are interested in donating to "Breanna's Buddies," please call Colene at extension X4317.
The Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's signature activity. It offers everyone in the community a chance to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at local schools and take turns walking or running around a track. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event up to 24 hours long.
The Relay For Life began in May 1985. Dr. Gordy Klatt took the first step of his 24-hour walk/jog/run around a track in Tacoma, Wash. raising $27,000 to support the American Cancer Society. The following year, 220 supporter son 19 teams joined Dr. Klatt in this overnight event and the American Cancer Society Relay For Life was born.
Research - Investing $2.5 billion to cancer research since 1946, the society has played a role in almost all the scientific milestones in cancer research including the bone marrow transplant, the Pap test for cervical cancer and drugs like Gleevec and Tamoxifen. The American Cancer Society has funded 31 Nobel Prize-winning scientists whose advances include the decoding of the human genome, the link between smoking and lung cancer and the PSA test for prostate cancer, among many others. In New York and New Jersey, it has approximately $35 million at work in some of the nation's most prestigious academic and medical facilities.
Education - By providing up-to-date cancer information, the society has empowered people to take control of their health. Its screening guidelines for the early detection of cancer are recognized as the industry standard. The society is committed to reaching diverse communities that have traditionally been underserved.
Advocacy - The society's volunteer advocates work to ensure that responsible cancer policies are put in place at the local, state and federal levels. By writing letters, sending emails and making phone calls, volunteers help guide the actions of our elected leaders.
Services - Its many no-cost services are offered with compassion and improve quality of life for survivors and their families. The society offers cancer patients and their families a variety of programs to help make the cancer experience a little easier. Programs such as I Can Cope, Man to Man, Reach to Recovery and Look Good...Feel Better help people make decisions and meet the challenges of life after cancer. The society offers a service no one else provides - multilingual information and assistance with cancer 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1.800.ACS.2345 and www.cancer.org.
This years Relay For Life will be held in five different locations, Utica, Rome, Ilion, Sauquoit, and Camden. The Relay starts with a survivor lap (someone who is battling cancer or has battled cancer) followed by a caregiver lap (someone who has taken care of a loved one who is or has battled cancer or who has lost a loved one to cancer) . The highlight of the event includes the Luminaria Ceremony. The track is lined with bags with votive candles inside nestled in sand. Each bag has a person's name on it to remember or honor a loved one.
For more information on the Luminaria Ceremony or the Relay For Life call the American Cancer Society office at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit their website at www.cancer.org.
