Prince George Relay Aims to be Number One in Canada

(Cancer survivors in yellow T-shirts kick off 21st annual Relay For Life- Photo- 250NEWS)

 

Prince George, B.C. – The Canadian Cancer Society’s 21^st annual Relay For Life is taking place this weekend at Masich Place Stadium, with nearly 16-hundred registered participants and over 20 teams raising funds for the fight against cancer.

 

Society Leadership Co-chair Trevor Patenaude(pictured right)  told the crowd just before the relay began at 10 a.m. that the Prince George relay, the only 24-hour relay in Canada, was starting the event in top spot with $414,000 raised, $120,000 more than the next community.

 

The relay opened with an impassioned speech from 10-year cancer survivor Sandra Blackwell, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma but battled it into remission by taking a derivative of the Periwinkle plant. Following her speech cancer survivors took to the track for a victory lap, with onlookers cheering them on every step around the stadium.

 

Marjo Koop of Prince George is a cancer survivor. “In 2002 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and left totally shocked and surprised. I never thought in my wildest dreams that a lump would turn into breast cancer. I had really good treatment here in Prince George and opted to have a mastectomy so that I wouldn’t have to worry about all those cancer cells lingering behind. So the doctor said to me you will need chemotherapy to make sure that we’ve gotten everything. I didn’t have to have chemo but chose to have it and that really empowered me. I gave myself some encouragement and strength to make that decision when I didn’t have to do it. So I had four chemo treatments. I did lose my hair and I just took one day at a time and forged ahead.”

 

Marjo says there was one day in particular that was very hard and presented quite a challenge. “That was the day my 9-year-old daughter said, “Mommy are you going to die?” I was very strong and I said no I’m not, I’m going to beat this. And with the help of the Canadian Cancer Society, who helped me financially with some medication at the time, and support services from them, I persevered and I’m a 10-year survivor this year, this is my tenth relay. Ten years ago I became a volunteer with the cancer society and then I became a staff member with the society.”

 

She says the fundraising this community does for this fight is unbelievable. “I just can’t say enough about all the donations, the money that comes in that we need to beat this disease. When I come out to the relay and talk to the survivors you see hope for the future, hope that perhaps my daughter won’t have to worry about cancer. Today I saw a little 4-year-old boy wearing a yellow (survivor’s) T-shirt. This year we will be the number one relay in Canada, but we could not do that without the support of the people of Prince George, without the donors, survivors, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. Prince George is relay. We have had teams here for 25 years straight, and their sons and daughters are involved and it’s going to continue until we end cancer.”

 

Perhaps the most emotionally poignant part of the relay, the luminary ceremony, will be held at midnight tonight in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to cancer. But it also celebrates the victories over the disease and shows support for those waging their own battle right now.