Relay For Life

“Cancer does not stop for nighttime”

RELAY FOR LIFE is an 18 hour journey providing the light and dark of day and night to parallel the physical effects, emotions and mental state of a cancer patient while undergoing treatment.

RELAY FOR LIFE begins during the day, when the sun is shining bright and the excitement and energy is flowing through the community.  The setting sun symbolizes the time when a patient is diagnosed with cancer. The day is getting darker and this represents the cancer patient’s state of mind as he or she feels that life is coming to an end.

As the evening goes on it gets colder and darker, just as the emotions of the cancer patient does.  Around 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. represents the time when the cancer patient starts treatment.  They become exhausted, some sick, not wanting to go on, possibly wanting to give up.  As a participant, you have been walking and feel much the same way.  You are tired, want to sleep, maybe even want to go home, but you cannot stop or give up.

Around 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. symbolizes the coming of the end of treatment for the cancer patient.  Once again they are tired, but they know they will make it.

The sun rising represents the end of treatment for the cancer patient.

They see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that life will go on.  The morning light brings on a new day full of life and excitement for new beginnings for the cancer patient.  As a participant, you will feel the brightness of the morning and know that the end of the RELAY is close at hand.

When you leave the RELAY, think of the cancer patient leaving their last treatment.  Just as you are exhausted and weak, so is that person after treatment.  But a new day has arrived and we are continuing to take up the fight against cancer.  REMEMBER:  There is no finish line until we find a cure.