The Breakdown for Relay for Life

Well this Monday marked the beginning of Amy's half waypoint with her chemo. It’s hard to watch someone be pumped with poison and all you can say is "half way through!" it’s so easy for me to say but I know it’s not easy for her to get through. Just wanted to say GO AMY! WE ARE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU!!

Some of you may be curious what happens at Relay so I thought I would break it down for you.

First, ahead of time you put together a team of 10 to 20 friends and family. One person from every team has to be on the track the whole 24 hours; you come up with an onsite fundraiser and set up a tent to sleep in and a canopy with your fundraiser that is lined along the track. Anything from homemade bracelets, snacks, carnival games, anything you can think of. Some people decorate their area, put up pictures of the person they are there to remember. Anything goes.

The day starts off with the Celebrate Ceremony. During this ceremony we get amped up for the next 24 hours (trust me, you need it). During this we have a speaker tell their story about cancer, it's usually from a survivor. Then the survivors attending take the first lap around the track usually to a song, my favorite is "Eye of the Tiger". Then the next lap is for the survivors and their caregivers, anyone who helped or is helping them through their cancer journey. Another appropriate song played...another favorite of: "You've Got a Friend in Me".

Then everyone joins in and walks and enjoys the day, playing games, meeting people, looking at the different teams tents and their fundraisers.

Next, once the sun has set we have a Luminaria/Remember Ceremony. This is a ceremony that we have a speaker again that tells their story of why they Relay or whom they are there to remember. This is my favorite ceremony. The whole track is lined with paper bags filled with sand and a candle with names of people who have lost their battle and some who are still fighting. After the speaker speaks we have one lap in silence, this is the most emotional of all the ceremonies. The feeling I got during my first Luminaria Ceremony is hard to explain. We're all there for the same reason, but we all have a different story to tell. Some have lost a parent, sibling, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or friend. This is something you have to experience for yourself, it is truly amazing and life changing.

You walk through the night by the light of the little candles, looking at each name wondering what and who they left behind, how old were they, how long did they fight? You get tired and it feels like the day isn't ever going to come.

Then it starts getting lighter, and lighter. It’s a new day! We walk a little longer. Then have one last ceremony, the FIGHT BACK Ceremony! This is to remind you of why we are doing this, amp you up for next year and give yourself a pat on the back for making it through the night. Another speaker (of course) and one last lap all together!

I really like the symbolism of Relay. You start off in the morning when everything is light out, like so many cancer fighters were doing walking through life happy and unaware of what is going on inside them.

You find out you have cancer, its dark, gloomy and you feel as if there is no hope and you don’t know if you can make it through the darkness.

Then the light at the end of the tunnel is there, whether you beat cancer's butt or you lost your battle there is light and you are no longer in pain, no longer going through chemo or treatments.

I hope this gave you all an idea of how Relay works, and what’s involved. So much more goes on that I cant explain. It has truly changed my life and like I've said before it's where I need to be.