Relay For What?

In 2007 I met someone who introduced our family to something that would change our lives forever.  She invited us to our first Relay for Life.  Lori Fries is another cancer survivor who I met through Jr. High band.  Lori and I met on a field trip and like almost every conversation the subject of cancer came up.  I told her about Joe's recent experiences and she insisted he join her on something called a "Survivor Lap".  It turned out Kaitlin was in a play the same night as the Chandler Relay for Life so Joe went solo and he was hooked.  He came home and shared how emotional it was to walk around this homemade track with many other cancer survivors and people giving high fives and clapping and holding signs honoring the survivors and their caregivers with their fight against cancer.


The next year Kaitlin, Julie and I went along to see what all the excitement was about.  That year I got to walk with him in the Survivor/Caregiver Lap and again people stood around the track clapping, giving high fives, holding signs.  I probably cannot find words expressive enough to describe that feeling of walking hand in hand with someone who had cheated death twice from his cancer and it's complications.  I wanted to just lay down and cry because my heart was literally exploding with pride and appreciation for everything he had gone through AND the other 100 some people walking with us.  They had ALL survived cancer.  Seeing the faces as we walked by - some crying, some smiling, some laughing.  It was one of the most emotional experiences in my life - it almost was more than I handle and I cried most of the Survivor Lap.  The themed laps, the activities, the luminaria ceremony was an experience that is almost impossible to describe.  Hundreds of people joined together raising money to help find a cure.  We were hooked!

Over the next couple of years we formed a team - Team LIFE - Living in Freedom from cancer Everyday, we joined committees, we raised money and we fought back.  The Chandler Relay for Life took on a life of it's own and in 2012 we became a Mega Relay.  We raised over $200,000 that year.  We were a big deal.  Unknown to all but a few Joe met with the American Cancer Society representatives and it was decided that he would compile the request to be chosen as an All American Award Relay.  It's a huge honor to receive this distinction and just before Joe's surgery he found out that we had won and the award would be presented at the kickoff ceremony on October 23 - two days after he was released from the hospital.  Not only had we won the award we won NATIONAL 1st place!  There was nothing that would keep Joe away from that kickoff!  Remember, he had surgery Thursday to remove his lung and on Saturday he started talking about going to the kickoff just 3 days away.  To say he was proud of his involvement with Relay for Life would be a gross understatement.   We arrived with a wheel chair and a sign that said "I love you but please no hugs" and we wheeled Joe into the room just seconds before it was supposed to start.  Talk about a surprise!

Chandler Relay went on to win this award 2 more years thanks to the hours Joe and other spent preparing the presentation and report.  Doing this served two purposes - obviously it was to acknowledge the Chandler Relay and the awesome job it does and continues to do and secondly it allowed Joe to participate by doing something he knew how to do well.  It was a win win.

In 2014 Joe was selected to be honored by receiving a Hero of Hope Award.  These survivors show an outstanding commitment to the fight against cancer and represent Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society publicly for a period of at least one year. They are selected for their ability to inspire hope and their courage and determination to fight back against cancer.  The Award is given to the cancer survivor who goes above and beyond.  Unfortunately, by the time our hero publicly received his award, he had become a star.