Of course, no one was glad that it poured the day and night of the Tri-Town Relay for Life, but it did not stop participants from showing up in rain gear, pitching their tents on the soggy ground, and walking to raise money to find a cure for cancer.
Most of the people there either battled cancer themselves or watched as a loved one experienced the fight of their lives.
Guest speaker Alexah Dunham said she remembers being scared after finding out about one year ago that her lingering chest cold was because of a mass in her chest.
“I asked, why me?” said Dunham, her mother standing beside her, fighting back tears. “It was a whirlwind of emotion.”
The smiling Dunham, the inspiration for “Team Alexah,” will be cancer-free for one year as of July 5. She thanked her parents for their love and support, and offered the crowd some of the wisdom she has acquired from her experience with cancer.
“As Vivian Greene said,” quoted Dunham, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Dunham’s grandmother, Merilyn Harwood, said that one year ago, Alexah looked “so different” than she did that evening.
“It was so touching to see her up there,” Harwood said about seeing Dunham standing on the stage addressing the crowd. She said she felt proud. “It’s just great to see her one year later.”
Inside the main tent, the survivor’s banquet had ended and Relay for Life Committee Chairman Marybeth Tripp read a poem about what it means to be a hero.
“To all of us you are a hero,” said Tripp. “Someone we all admire.”
Tripp is part of Team Sole Survivors, along with her mother Denise Gilbert, and about three other regulars who attend the event each year.
The theme of this year’s Relay for Life was Hollywood, and Team Sole Survivors were all dressed in black suits with dark sunglasses for the occasion.
“We came as Men in Black,” said Gilbert. ”We’ve been making aliens for our tent for weeks.”
Sole Survivors raised over $10,000 of the relay’s donations, which totaled over $42,000 at press time, but donations were still being sent in.
Team Linda’s Angel raised over $1,800 and this was the team’s first year participating in the relay. Kristen Tanya and Dugan Costa were relaying on behalf of their mother, a cancer survivor who was also walking in the relay. When asked what it meant to them to participate in the relay with their mother, the two young women welled up and were speechless, unable to express the overwhelming feeling of being there with their mother.
Outside, umbrellas of every color were open as the rain fell harder. It was a testament to the love and dedication of the participants who remained determined, despite the weather. Many were grateful and let the tears flow as their friends and family members who survived cancer made their way around the track for survivors’ lap, kicking off the walk.
“We need to finish the fight!” Co-chairman Pam Houston told the crowd. Houston is part of Team Ray of Hope and her mother is a cancer survivor. This was her second year participating in the Tri-Town Relay for Life. Next year will mark the event’s tenth year.
“We’re gonna have a big one next year,” said Houston looking forward.
The Relay for Life benefits the American Cancer Society, and the event went on all night into Saturday for 18 hours.
By Jean Perry
