Relay For Life 2017: How Can You Participate In The Fundraiser For American Cancer Society

Relay For Life is a fund raising event, organized by different groups of volunteers across different countries, where people from all ages, nationalities, races and ethnicities come together to raise money for American Cancer Society.

“Relay For Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Relay is staffed and coordinated by volunteers in more than 5,200 communities and 27 countries. Volunteers give of their time and effort because they believe it's time to take action against cancer,” states their official website.

The website also states that anyone who has lost a friend or relative to cancer; is a cancer survivor himself/herself; is undergoing treatment for cancer or simply wants to help out in battling the disease is welcome to join the event in any capacity that they wish to.

Read: National Cancer Survivors Day 2017: How To Stay Healthy After Treatment

If you wish to participate in the Relay For Life, you have to get in touch with an organizer for the event near your area and register your name. A list of teams participating in different localities can be found on their website.

Once you have signed up, you can also find out the fund raising page of your respective team where you can donate towards the noble cause.

Relay For Life is a team effort and hence requires you to devote your time, effort and money. Prior to the main event, you might need to attend team meetings to find out what kind of theme your team is planning and other important information about the event.

The main event for Relay For Life starts off with cancer survivors and those battling with the disease taking center stage and beginning the walk, while others remain in the sidelines cheering them on.

The next lap is covered by caregivers, who have taken care of cancer victims. Team members take turns to walk the remaining laps.

After the walk is done and dusted, all the participants head over to the team campsites for an evening of fun, music and other forms of entertainment while also learning to be better advocates for American Cancer Society.

Among the activities is the lighting of luminaries, which symbolizes the elimination of fear (darkness) that a cancer patient feels after being diagnosed with the disease. The lamps or candles also celebrate the cancer survivors, who did not give up on the chance to live.

Relay For Life events have already started this year, with volunteers from all over the United States coming together to participate. The following are the pictures of some of the teams and families which participated in the event.

Nearly $100,000 was raised in the American Cancer Society’s main fundraising event, Saturday, at Haas Field behind Chatham Middle School, New Jersey, which saw around 42 teams, comprising of a total of around 600 people walking for the cause, New Jersey Hills reported.

In another event held Saturday and Sunday at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conneticut more than 500 participants on 30 teams raised more than $93,000, Norwich Bulletin reported.

“Someone with cancer has it 24/7 and us staying up for a full 24 hours is a way to remember those who have fought cancer and those are battling cancer now. It’s also for anyone who knows someone with cancer and those who want to support others,” Julie Russell said, Relay for Life event organizer at Norwich, according to the Norwich Bulletin report.

However, Relay for Life events are still being held at different places all over the U.S. For example, Madison County will be holding its own event, this Friday, and those interested can donate or check out additional information only on relayforlife.org/madisoncountyin, Herald Bulletin.