Relay for Life 2016

This past Friday night, our area hosted their annual Relay for Life! I LOVE this event and look forward to attending each year! I love it so much in fact, I joined the event committee a few years ago and have enjoyed every moment!

Our theme this year revolved around Dr. Seuss and our tag line was, "Cancer, not here...not there...not anywhere"!

If you're not familiar with Relay for Life, let me explain. It's not a race....that's one of the first questions everyone asks me. Relay for Life began back in the 80's with a physician who decided to walk 24 hours around a track to raise money against cancer. Since then, the concept behind Relay has changed tremendously, but the overall purpose of fighting against cancer has not. Now, local tracks, parks, and outdoor facilities throughout the world are packed with survivors, teams, family members, and caregivers who are passionate about the fight against cancer. The nighttime concept was based on the thought of "cancer never sleeps" and cancer patients deal with the side effects of treatment, their disease, etc for 24 hours a day. Our local event lasts from 6 p.m. to midnight but some events actually last for 24 hours!

The "relay" aspect comes in to play where one person from each team walks the circle/track throughout the entire event. Each team has a "spirit stick" that they hand off to their teammate when their teammate takes the track, much like a runner would do in a relay event.

How do we fund raise? Each team who sets up a tent has the option to bake/cook items for donation, set up items to raffle off for donation, have fun jumps/games for kids, etc (the options are endless, really). For example, I eat dinner and have dessert at Relay every year. Relay food is some of the best food out there because it's usually the worst for you! Haha! On Friday night, my husband and I shared several items like fried pickles, cheese fries, and cookies/brownies. Yes, we were bad! 

So, now you know! The next time someone asks if Relay for Life is a race, you can tell them no it's not! :)

We also had several fun events for teams to participate in. At the end of the night, the team with the most points won the team spirit award. One of the events was a bake off. I thought the creativity behind these cakes was amazing! Aren't they adorable?!

Here's my team! :)

...and this year's smallest relayer, Brayden! His hat didn't last long as it was warm outside, but we made it mainly for pictures, anyway!

My parents enjoyed showing him off, too! :)

Our mayor opened up the event along with a few radio/TV personalities as our DJ's.

The first lap of the evening began with our survivors and each purple shirt represented a cancer survivor. I love this lap and get teary-eyed every year because this lap represents what I do professionally. Another purple shirt = another life saved.

After the survivor lap, caregivers joined in followed by the teams.

Shortly after sundown, all of the teams were asked to turn off their generators and lights as we began our lumiaria ceremony.

(This is a very reverent event where we celebrate those who are still fighting the battle, remember those whose lives were lost, and fight back against this disease.)

During the ceremony, our track was lined with bags - we had over 700 bags this year. Each bag was created in honor of a survivor or in memory of a loved one whose life was lost. The bag shown above was created in memory of my late grandfather who passed away from lung cancer when I was a senior in high school.

This whole ceremony is hands down one of my favorite parts of Relay.

I did have to smile at someone's humor - every life can be affected by cancer...no matter how rich or famous they might be!

Brayden enjoyed relaying the night away, too! Well...he didn't stay ALL night. Jason took him home after the luminaria ceremony! :)

One of the administrators of my hospital was there and looked shocked to see me - she asked why I was at Relay if I was on maternity leave as I assumed she saw it as a "work responsibility" for me.  I told her I was on the planning committee but after she walked away, I realized something - Relay to me is so much more than a work responsibility...actually, I never even considered it one! Having a personal connection with my grandfather and his lung cancer battle is what began my passion to work in oncology and an event like relay is just icing on the cake!

I am so looking forward to next year and can't wait for another great event! Can you guess what next year's theme is going to be? If you know me, then I'm 100% sure you can. Hint: It has to do with a mouse and a little magic! :)

Relay for Life 2015

Friday night was our area’s 2015 Relay for Life. A few changes were made this year that I think were for the better – one of those changes being the time range of the event. Instead of relaying until 6 a.m., we stopped at midnight and held our closing ceremonies. This was my first time to ever stay all the way until the end (because Saturday morning’s are long run days) and I loved it – the teams seemed to love it, too!

 

Our event was mentioned on the news all throughout the day on  Thursday and Friday. As we were setting up for the event, I was asked to be on the live at 5 broadcast.  If you read Friday’s post, then you know that “live” things freak me out. Well, I did it and all was fine and I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be! Baby steps…I’m getting there!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – we have a fantastic committee! Their hard work and dedication to the fight is incredible.

At opening ceremonies, this sweet little survivor shared her leukemia story and sang a song that she wrote while undergoing chemotherapy. There wasn’t a dry eye around, it was incredibly touching. They shouldn’t have to make survivor shirts in kid sizes…that just breaks my heart.

Survivor lap!

My hospital team joined in for the caregiver lap. This portion is one of my favorite parts of Relay – seeing all of the survivors on the track, knowing that our work is making a difference!

Another favorite part of relay is the food. In SWLA, we have GOOD relay food! This isn’t your average ballpark nachos – no, it’s pulled pork nachos…what?! We also had fajitas, fried pickles, crawfish etouffee, burgers, pulled pork wraps with slaw, funnel cakes, a multitude of sweets, the list goes on and on! You definitely don’t leave our relay hungry!

My other favorite part of Relay is the luminiaria ceremony. OK OK I’ll admit, I just love it ALL!!

Our committee had a vision of “Hope” spelled out somewhere on our grounds. As an “ah-ha” moment, our logistics chair came up with this idea literally the night before. Isn’t it amazing?! You could see it all the way at the road!

During the luminaria ceremony, bags and torches are lit in memory of those who lost their battle and in honor of those who are continuing the fight. All of the generators and lights are turned off and you can literally hear a pin drop. It’s such a touching time to remember and reflect.

My grandfather passed away from lung cancer in 2000 and that’s part of the reason I went into oncology nursing. I also make a luminaria bag for him every year. He loved flowers and used to always give a handful of sweet peas to me every time I went to visit, hence the field of sweet peas on this year’s bag! :)

Before I knew it, midnight rolled around and it was time for closing ceremonies! I love this picture – our MC’s took selfies at opening and closing!

Walking the final lap of the night.

Melissa so graciously agreed to spend part of her birthday weekend with us by keeping track of our accounting for the night! I appreciate her so much!

I made it home and in bed around 2 a.m. , woke up at 7 a.m. for a run with Heather, then went back to bed and woke up at 2 p.m. Y’all, I was TIRED…but it was worth every step!!

Does your area have a Relay for Life? If so, have you ever attended/been a part?

Relay for Life 2013

Relay for Life 2013 was a HUGE success! We had a LOT of fun and really enjoyed Celebrating with survivors, remembering those who lost their battle, and fighting back against this terrible disease.

This year’s theme was superheroes and our team had shirts made especially for the event! LOVED them!!

Check out the video I made of our SUPER night!

My team! :0)

Survivor lap…

The MR. RELAY contest – this is my friend Erin’s husband and he came in 2nd place. Basically, Mr. Relay contestants “dress up” and spend the evening filling their purses with spare change from relay participants. At the end of the competition, the Mr. with the most money in his purse is the winner!

Guess what I found while at Relay?! MCALISTERS sweet tea! I was in HEAVEN! Know what’s kind of sad? the McAlister’s workers recognized me. Ah well, they made my day for sure!

The luminaria ceremony was very touching as always. It’s just a small part of the night, but a very important and moving one. These bags were created in memory of those who lost their fight with cancer and in honor of those who are continuing the fight as survivors. The candle inside each bag is a symbol of hope…hope that we will one day find a cure.

This year, we added floating lanterns – such a neat touch! Sort of reminded me of Tangled! :0)

We participated in the t-shirt contest but I still haven’t found out who won…

Jason and I ended the evening with a little dessert! We stuck around until 11:30 or so – the longest I’ve ever stayed at Relay! My boss said because I’m a “big dog” now, I have to stay later…hah!  The event lasted until 6 a.m. but I don’t do so well without sleep, so I called it a night!

Before leaving, we enjoyed the sounds of Yeah You Right. They were AWESOME and drove all the way from New Orleans to be with us!

Such a fun and satisfying night! I can’t wait for next year! :0)

Have you ever attended a Relay For Life event?