More Than A Walk In The Park: Relay for Life Raises $70K In Cancer Siege

By Christopher D. Roberson 

As dozens of purple balloons danced in the breeze, nearly 300 participants from 31 teams began the 14-hour trek around Library Park in Woburn for the seventh annual Relay For Life. A party atmosphere filled the park as the half-mile track was lined with tents, bake sales, a bounce house and three Starbucks employees selling coffee.As darkness fell across the field, hundreds of luminarias flickered around the track in memory of those lost to cancer and to honor those who are still fighting. Saugus resident Amy Unis, of the Cushing Crusaders, explained that she was amazed at how many people joined together for the cause.

“I have never been a part of anything that weighed so heavily on my heart, yet was equally uplifting,” she said.

Unis added that the Relay was much more meaningful than a typical fundraiser. 

“It wasn’t a competition to see who could raise the most money,” she said. “Everyone was there to influence one another.”

In addition to the Woburn participants, the Relay, held on May 18-19, saw walkers who had travelled great distances to take part in the event. Jill Blanchard, also of the Cushing Crusaders, said she drove six hours from her home in Ithaca, N.Y. to take part in the event. In addition to the 336-mile drive, she walked 35 laps throughout the night, the equivalent of 17 miles.    Blanchard pointed out that she had also participated in the St. John Relay For Life in the U.S. Virgin Islands in February 2012. 

“This was my second Relay For Life and I loved doing it with my family this time,” she said of her experience in Woburn. “Love volunteering my time especially for such a great cause.”

Lesley Fawcett, community executive of the local American Cancer Society in Acton, applauded Woburn residents for taking such a courageous stand against the disease. 

“By supporting the Relay For Life of Woburn, the community is taking action, making noise, getting loud and helping the Society to finish the fight against cancer,” she said.  

Fawcett explained that the Relay takes place overnight to emphasize the fact that “cancer doesn’t sleep.” She said that the effects of fatigue and sleep deprivation eventually take their toll as most people are not accustomed to staying awake all night. This became increasingly evident as the number of participants on the track began to fluctuate as the hours ticked by and slowly rolled into Sunday morning.

While some team members brought tents, sleeping bags and air mattresses, others dozed off in lawn chairs or in the hatchbacks of station wagons.   

Fawcett added that the task of staying awake only gives participants a mere sense of the discomfort that cancer patients endure on a daily basis.As the first rays of sun broke on the horizon, it was revealed that a total of $70,266 had been raised to aid in the fight against cancer, an effort led by Christy Nickerson of Woburn, co-captain of Kathy’s Kampers. For the second year in a row, Nickerson made the highest individual contribution with $3,203 to elevate her team to the Jade Fundraising Level. Overall, Kathy’s Kampers made $11,816 since January and was the only team to reach the Jade Level.   Nickerson explained that her team began with a fundraising event in February that brought in $3,261 and set a modest goal of $5,000. As time passed, she found that the numbers continued to climb as the same people were making multiple donations through various channels. However, Nickerson never expected that the initial goal would more than double three months later.She also employed innovative strategies such as “flocking” in which members of Kathy’s Kampers would go to peoples’ homes, usually late at night, and plant flamingos in their yards.This would be done after a donation was made and the donor designated which residence they wanted flocked. 

“We had six flocks going at once,” said Nickerson.By the end of the Relay, the flocks of flamingos had raised $674. Another fundraising method, called Hope Squares, allowed people to make $1-$2 donations per square on a Bingo-like card in honor of friends and loved ones. 

“It has to be something people are interested in,” Nickerson said of her team’s fundraising techniques.  

In addition, four teams raised more than $3,500 and achieved the Silver Level while five teams broke the $2,500 mark to reach the Bronze Level.  Ward Two Alderman Richard F. Gately, Jr. was also on hand to share his appreciation for the Relay. A three-time cancer survivor, Gately’s last bout with the disease had escalated to Stage Four.

“I thought my life was over,” he said. However, with funding from previous Relays and the Center for Cancer Care at Winchester Hospital, Gately survived. 
“Because of you, I am back to work and cancer free,” he said.      

The Relay was founded in May 1985 by Dr. Gordy Klatt as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer when he walked and ran around the track at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash. to raise money for the local American Cancer Society. Klatt logged 83 miles over the course of 24 hours and raised $27,000. The following year featured 19 teams at the city’s Stadium Bowl and brought in $33,000. Since that Spring night in Tacoma, the Relay has expanded to 5,200 communities throughout 20 countries. It has also become the flagship fundraiser of the American Cancer Society. The Relay has generated $400 million per annum for a total of $4.5 billion since its inception 28 years ago.

As a result, the American Cancer Society has reported a 65 percent survival rate across the country, up seven percent over the past eight years.