I went to a 11 years ago and was so moved by how the ceremony brought people together as a community and created a place where people shared their stories, laughed, cried and supported one another while helping to raise awareness and funds for research to find a cure for cancer.
My mom, Marilyn Griffo passed away from breast cancer 20 years ago. That changed our family forever. So, for me when Relay for Life came to Port Washington, I just knew it was meant to be for me to help people. My mom didn't really have a fighting chance because they didn't even know about the type of cancer she had yet.
The American Cancer Society has enabled us to come a long way in the fight against cancer. In 1992, people would whisper, "Oh that poor girl, did you hear, she has breast cancer." I am happy to say that in 2012 when we hear someone is sick, that we are a society that isn't afraid to talk about it and that others aren't afraid to ask questions that will guide us in the right direction. Relay for Life events help give people the strength they need to handle the unknown.
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For more information, log on to: relayforlife.org/portwashingtonny or, contact, Relay for Life 2012 co-Chairs: Lee Anne Vetrone-Timothy, 516/883 4890 (eventmakr@gmail.com) or Nora Johnson, 516/767-0820 (norahjohnson@yahoo.com).
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