Residents Set to Fight Back Against Cancer July 13-14 at Relay For Life of Central St. Charles

(St. Charles, Mo.) — St. Charles County walkers will go around the clock to fight cancer during the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Central St. Charles. This celebration of life brings the numerous groups and individuals concerned about cancer together in an effort to fight back.

Teams will gather at Lutheran High School – St. Charles overnight for “Cancer’s Unlucky Day,” this year’s theme, from 6 p.m. on Friday, July 13, until 6 a.m. on Saturday, July 14.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people every year to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and empower individuals and communities to fight back against a disease that takes so much.

Relay For Life opens as cancer survivors (anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer) and caregivers walk or use a wheelchair to complete the first lap. This is an emotional time that sets the stage of the importance of each participant’s contribution. A festive atmosphere develops around the track. As walkers make new friends and spend time with old ones, the Relay heats up and the camp-out begins. An atmosphere of camaraderie is created with team members entertaining each other: eating, playing games and, of course, walking for a great cause.

Highlighting the evening is the luminaria ceremony that takes place after dark to honor cancer survivors and to remember those lost. Luminaria line the track and are left burning throughout the night to remind participants of the importance of their efforts.

“Relay For Life is as much an awareness raiser about the progress against cancer as it is a fundraiser,” said Ben Prinster, event chair. “Many of the participants will be people who have dealt with cancer themselves. Their involvement is proof of the progress that has been made in improving cancer survival rates and the quality of life following cancer treatment.”

“The funds raised will enable us to continue our investment in the fight against cancer by helping people stay well, by helping people get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back,” said Prinster. “Due to the generosity of corporate sponsors like Aschinger Electric, Doozle's Ice Cream, Mid-West Outdoor Advertising, Oldies 103.3, Reynold's Roadhouse, SSM Cancer Care, St. Louis Cardinals, Storage Masters, Suburban Journals, and Women's Journal, the money raised by participants comes back to our community by directly benefiting all of the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving programs.”

Information about how to form a team or become involved in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life is available atRelayForLife.org/CentralStCharlesMo or by calling the local Society office at (314) 286-8183. For more information about cancer, call the American Cancer Society’s 24-hour help-line at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.