For its participants, Relay for Life is more than just a walk around the track.For many, Relay is the vessel through which fundraising efforts, both on and off the track, help better the lives of those battling cancer; and support their friends, family and caretakers.The relay is just that for Diane Saign, a Relay for Life team captain for the Falcon/Peyton event.Saign recalled the moment four years ago she accompanied a friend, who had been diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer, as she learned to feel beautiful again during a ìLook Good Feel Betterî class hosted by the American Cancer Society.During the class, Saign said women were learning how to make headscarves out of T-shirts and how to apply makeup. The class re-affirms that every woman is beautiful, regardless of the effects cancer has had on their bodies, she said.”It was so heartwarming to see that I could take someone to a program paid for by the efforts that I put in with Relay for Life,î Saign said. ìThe money I raised was able to make a difference in a friend’s life.îRelay for Life historyRelay for Life began after founder Dr. Gordon “Gordy” Klatt ran and walked for more than 83.6 hours in 24 hours at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, raising $27,000 through pledges to help fight cancer. One year later, 19 teams and a total of 340 people raised $33,000 at the first official Relay event hosted at the historic Stadium Bowl.”(Dr. Klatt) helped shape an idea that started off as one man running and walking a track, and turned it into a global phenomenon for saving lives in every corner of the world,” according to his biography posted on the Relay for Life website.The overnight walking/running event is the American Cancer Society’s largest fundraiser of the year. The global affair has raised almost $5 billion to fund cancer research and resource programs like Road to Recovery and Look Good Feel Better, along with health care accommodations through Hope Lodge.The ultimate goal is a cancer-free world; meanwhile, the event benefits cancer patients, survivors and caretakers; families and friends.The RelayCamping overnight on the track, members of each Relay for Life team take turns walking or running the track; participants include cancer survivors, those battling cancer, caregivers and friends and families of loved ones touched by the disease.Cancer survivors and their caretakers walk the first lap of the event, and a Luminaria ceremony to honor those who died from cancer or those currently dealing with a cancer diagnosis is held after dark. During the ìFight Backî ceremony, participants are encouraged to take action against cancer.Relayís local effectsThough a global event, Relay for Life has local impacts, said Saign, who has participated for several years in the Falcon/Peyton Relay.El Paso County fundraising efforts have allowed hundreds of cancer patients to utilize various services provided by the American Cancer Society.Documentation provided by the ACS for El Paso County shows that, from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2015, the ACS served 251 county residents — 112 of those patients were newly diagnosed, and 50 were uninsured or under Medicaid.ACS provided 109 rides to patients for cancer treatment, and the Cancer Resource Center served 251 patients. The ACS provided 89 wigs to cancer patients at no cost; 26 nights of lodging were provided to county residents who had to travel to receive treatment; and 62 patients participated in the ACS’s Look Good Feel Better program.In Colorado, the ACS is currently funding 19 research grants totaling more than $8.3 million to eradicate cancer.Ongoing efforts“I want to reach out and get as many people involved as I can,” said Julie Straite, Relay for Life Falcon/Peyton Survivor and Caregiver chairwoman.Straite joined Relay with her husband six years ago, and this year is captain of ìYou Don’t Know Jack,î a team paying homage to her brother-in-law who was diagnosed almost three years ago with colon cancer, which metastasized to his liver.The goal is to reach out to more young people, and let them know what Relay is and how they can make a difference, Straite said.”Cancer doesn’t discriminate against anyone, not against age, race or how much money you have,î she said. ìWe would like to see Relay be a positive thing; we’re celebrating survivors as people, not just as cancer survivors. We also want to spotlight the caregivers, because they are so important in the life of a cancer patient.îThe event spans 12 hours, but anyone is welcome to attend for any amount of time, Straite said.Relay timelineThe 2016 Relay for Life Falcon/Peyton takes place Saturday, Aug. 20, from noon to midnight at Falcon High School, 10255 Lambert Road. For more information, visit http://relayforlife.org.The fourth Golfing for a Cancer Cure Tournament will take place Friday, July 29, with a 9 a.m. shotgun start at Antler Creek Golf Course, 9650 Antler Creek Drive in Falcon. For more information, call 719-494-1900.
