Did you know that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men within the United States might be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime? Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins, friends, all face the possibility of being diagnosed with an illness that has already taken the lives of so many throughout the globe. It is mind-boggling to think that we live in an advanced age that can provide robotic limbs and even print out organs, yet a cure for cancer remains just out of reach!
That is not to say that we are not working tirelessly to find a cure for such a dangerous disease. Organizations like Relay for Life are constantly striving to fund the cure for cancer. Relay for Life, the signature fundraiser of the American Cancer Society, is comprised of volunteers in over 5,200 communities and 20 countries who work together to take a stand against cancer. These volunteers give up their time and effort to organize events and raise money that goes directly to funding a cure!
Last year, the money that was raised through Relay for Life events helped to save lives and celebrate life (the mission of the American Cancer Society). The donations received were able to provide one hundred and fifty million dollars to cancer research as well as providing treatment help for patients, 24/7 lifeline services, rides to and from treatment and free lodging at American Cancer Society Hope Lodge facilities. While this is a phenomenal step towards a cure, we can and must do better!
This is where you, as a member of the community, come in. In the coming months, the Raleigh division of the Relay for Life will be holding events within the community. These events hope to raise awareness and funds to continue the ongoing fight against cancer. The goal is to draw in 6,000 participants and
raise at least two million dollars this year! This can be done through the organization of events within the community. For instance, on April 29th, the Marga-RELAY-ville 5K will be taking place. The proceeds of this event are going straight to the Relay for Life of Raleigh.
Also in 2017, the Relay for Life of Raleigh hopes to initiate a “Tour de Raleigh” event. What they need from the community is a bicycling group willing and able to help get such an event together. They also hope to initiate a “Ride for Life” where the motorcycle clubs of Raleigh come together and ride to help benefit the Relay for Life of Raleigh. However, if you are not apt to ride a bike or motorcycle, that doesn’t mean you can’t help the cause. You can put your other talents to good use and offer up entertainment for such events! The Relay for Life is always looking for groups or individuals to provide entertainment to help draw in donations and make such an important cause e
njoyable!
As a way of acknowledging those who fought against and survived cancer, the Relay for Life of Raleigh 
will be holding a “Survivors and Caregivers Luncheon” on Sunday, April 30th. This event will honor and celebrate all the communities’ cancer survivors and the caregivers who took the journey with them
We cannot afford to sit back and wait for a cure to be found. We need to be proactive in our community
and work together to find a cure for cancer! Now you have your mission and you know what needs to be done, it is up to you to get out there and help save lives!
To learn more about the Relay for Life of Raleigh, please visit http://relay.acsevents.org . Also please view their “Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back” Video: https://youtu.be/esdA6RMpm3
