Cancer has touched and affected the lives of millions of Americans, and each year the American Cancer Society sponsors local Relay for Life events to commemorate the disease’s victims, recognize its survivors, and renew efforts to fight the killer.

Last weekend, it was Mechanicsville’s turn to raise money for research and patient services like rides to the doctor and wigs at no cost to cancer victims.

The annual event held at Lee-Davis High School drew large crowds, despite almost record temperatures and a few thunderstorms that interrupted some of the activities.

But the weather couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of participants who camped out in small groups, grilling hamburgers, raising money, and walking laps around the memorial track.

The Mechanicsville event featured nearly 40 teams, formed with one goal in mind: To raise awareness and funds to fight cancer.

Some groups sold jewelry while others sponsored raffles, backyard barbeques and bake sales.

Most have personal connections to the dreaded disease, and many participate to honor the memory of a lost loved one or surviving family members.

The first lap of the event, which features continuous walking around the track at Lee-Davis High, is reserved for survivors who are joined by caregivers on the second go-round.

More than 350 participants signed up for this year’s event, and organizers are hoping the good turnout will assist in reaching the group’s $135,000 goal.

Luminaries lined the track in honor of those who lost the battle, and the word hope was carved out in candlelight in the L-DHS bleachers. As the evening progressed, that word changed to “CURE.”

“We have over 550 registrants and that’s not counting the survivors. We just had a great survivor lap followed by a caregivers lap,” Suzanne “Tatur” Feigley, chair of the luminaria committee, said. “We celebrate and remember while we are here, but we also are taking our first step in fighting back against this terrible disease.”

She said the statistics are daunting. One in two men will have cancer and one in three women will get the disease.

“That directly affects almost every one; this event also educates and keeps this issue at the forefront,” Feigley said.

She said she believes the small steps taken at these events will eventually lead to a cure.

“We’ve made a lot of great strides fighting all the cancers. Sixty percent of the money we raise stays in the southern Atlantic region,” she said.

She said the event evokes a sense of determination and pride in the participants.

“For us to do this every single year, we get to be proud of the people who have won the battle and support the people who are currently fighting it,” Feigley said.

For members of the Margarelayville team, the goals are clear and the message hits close to home. They began their team 10 years ago to support their brother’s cancer and have been doing the event ever since. They’ve recruited neighbors, friends and “anyone else who would help.”

“We started 10 years ago when my brother had leukemia, and now my sister-in-law Sandra has leukemia,” Dawn Bahen said.

The group sold frozen drinks during the evening to cool the crowd and raise money.

“We’re not as big as some of the fundraising groups, but we do what we can and have fun doing it,” survivor Michael Taylor said. He began participating in Relay two years before he was diagnosed.

Taylor said the programs funded by Relay were instrumental in his recovery from cancer a decade ago.

“It gave me an understanding of what I was facing,” he said.

Brianne Hunt, captain of Hunt’s Heroes, celebrated her birthday by volunteering at the event. She sat beside the track awarding beads for each lap volunteers completed.

“I lost my mother to cancer nine years ago, so I thought this was a great way to celebrate a birthday and my mother’s life,” she said.

Feigley said the large turnout on a scorching day says a lot about the community. “It means we are not taking no for an answer in fighting this disease.”

Co-chairs Faith Van Goor and Jamie Kourtge said there were 38 teams participating in this year’s event.

“We plan on raising a lot of money here tonight, and we’ll continue raising money until August,” Van Goor said. “Someone you know has been touched by cancer and we need to stop it.”

Donations toward that goal will be accepted all summer.

For information on how to give or volunteer, contact Andrea Fravel with the American Cancer Society at 527-3712.

Jim Ridolphi for The Local
Lindsey Martin, Miss Mechanicsville 2010, and her sister Ashley purchase commemorative luminaria.