Relay For Life kicked off at the Shiawassee County Fairgrounds on Friday. It's an event hosted by the American Cancer Society to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. Jeri Lynn Kellogg is the event chair. and she says Relay For Life is more than just a fund raiser. It's an opportunity for survivors to bond together and for people to learn what the American Cancer Society has to offer for people who are suffering from this horrible disease. Throughout the weekend volunteers, staff, survivors and their families will walk laps around a track, giving eachother support and gathering donations.
While cancer research is a serious issue, the mood at the event is one of celebration. The associate director of the American Cancer Society for Eastern Michigan says the event is an opportunity to celebrate survivors and their families. Thomas Hutchinson is a cancer survivor and he says the support he gets from his caregivers and other survivors helps him when he's going through radiation treatments.
The American Cancer Society works year round to provide support and information for cancer survivors. They have a 24-hour hotline for people who have been diagnosed with cancer, or their families and caregivers, 1-800-227-2345. For more information on how you can help fight this disease that devestates millions of families across the world every year, visit www.cancer.org
