Sept. 7, 6:30 p.m. through Sept. 8, 6:30 a.m.
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Relay for life symbolizes the fight of a cancer patient
The third annual Daviess County Relay For Life is just around the corner. Register your team today by calling the American Cancer Society at 660-663-3211. This “celebration of life” brings the community together in a unified effort to fight cancer and symbolizes the fight cancer patients face after they are diagnosed with cancer.
Relay For Life is an overnight, team effort to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’s research, advocacy, education, and patient service programs. “Cancer does not stop for nighttime,” said Kati Stover, Relay For Life chair. “So we’re not going to stop for nighttime either. We hope the community will join us in this fight.”
Relay For Life starts at dusk and ends in the morning hours of the following day. The light and darkness of the day and night parallel the physical effects, emotions, and mental state of a cancer patient while undergoing treatment.
The Relay begins when the sun is setting. This symbolizes the time that the person has been diagnosed with cancer. The day is getting darker, and this represents the cancer patient’s state of mind as they feel that life is coming to an end.
As the evening goes on it gets colder and darker, just as the emotions of the cancer patient do. Around 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. represents the time when the cancer patient starts treatments. They become exhausted, some sick, not wanting to go on and possibly wanting to give up. Participants in Relay feel much the same way while walking during these hours. They cannot stop or give up, just as the cancer patient cannot stop or give up.
Around 4 am. to 5 a.m. symbolizes the end of treatment for the cancer patient. Once again they are tired, but they know they will make it.
The sun rising represents the end of treatment for the cancer patient. They see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that life will go on. The morning light brings on a new day full of life and excitement for new beginning for the cancer patient. Participants feel the brightness of the morning and know that the end of the Relay is close at hand.
When participants leave the Relay, they can think of cancer patients leaving their last treatment. Just as participants are exhausted and weak, so is that person after treatment.
Relay For Life takes place from noon on Sept. 7 until 6 a.m. on Sept. 8 at the courthouse in Gallatin. Information about how to form a team or become involved is available from the American Cancer Society at 660-663-3211 days or 660-663-2277.
For more information on cancer, call the American Cancer Society’s 24-hour help line at 1-800- ACS-2345 or visit the web site www.cancer.org.
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service.