Join Relay For Life in the fight against cancer

Community members will unite at a celebration to officially launch their 20th Relay For Life of Rockville season. Participants will ring in the new season with an event that educates everyone on how their involvement benefits the American Cancer Society’s goal to save lives and create more birthdays. Money raised from Relay For Life will fight cancer by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.

The kickoff celebration will be held on Monday, January 19th at the North Bethesda Market resident lounge. The mix and mingle portion of the evening will begin at 6pm, and the official program will start at 6:30pm. Celebration activities will include appetizers, desserts, beverages, and prizes from local businesses. Friends, neighbors, cancer survivors, caregivers and anyone interested in learning more about Relay For Life are encouraged to attend.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a community event where individuals and teams camp out, picnic, dance, play games and take turns circling around a track “relay” style to raise funds and fight cancer. The event opens as cancer survivors lead the way around the track and are honored with the Survivor Lap. As the sun begins to set, the warm glow of hundreds of luminaria light the field in an emotional silent ceremony. Each bag lit is in honor of a loved one who won the fight against cancer or in remembrance of a special someone who lost their battle. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life represents hope in that those lost to cancer will not be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day, cancer will be eliminated.

Started in 1985, Relay For Life began with one man who circled around a track for 24 hours raising $27,000. This year, Relay For Life has grown to more than 5,200 communities and more than 25 countries worldwide.

The 2015 Relay For Life of Rockville will be held on Saturday, May 30th from 12pm to 12am at Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County campus.

Volunteers are needed to organize and recruit teams, secure community support, coordinate logistics, obtain refreshments and prizes, assist with publicity and plan entertainment activities for this exciting and energizing event.

For more information on Relay For Life of Rockville, MD, contact the American Cancer Society at 301-933-9350 or email RockvilleRelayForLife@gmail.com or visit www.RelayForLife.org/RockvilleMD you can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Participants and team may register for free online anytime.

We look forward to seeing you at Relay to help us create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.