Many people have heard the term, "Relay For life." Many more know "Relay For Life" is an event that takes place in the summer. Those who have been a part of "Relay" know it's so much more than a one-day event. It's a celebration of life and hope, a chance for people to join together for one purpose and a time to put the daily trials of life in perspective. It's an opportunity to offer support to loved ones as well as strangers and play a major role in someone's recovery. Being part of Relay means being responsible for lasting successes that will one day lead to a cure for cancer.

The Dunkirk-Fredonia area Relay For Life event will take place on the track at Fredonia State University College on June 12 and 13. This space will be dedicated each week until that day with Relay stories - stories of hope found at Relay, survivor stories, and stories explaining why people have chosen to Relay. Stories like Ann Rotunda Eckman's story, a cancer survivor and member of the Relay For Life committee, as she tells it in her own words:

My involvement with the Relay began four years ago. As an employee of the Private Industry Council, the staff liked to participate as a group in community events. We began our efforts to form a team and began fundraising. The event went over very well, but I was unable to be there as my husband was having surgery that day…so I missed the actual day of the event and did not understand what being at Relay can do for someone. The next year our team formed again. On the morning of the Relay my husband and son had gone out for the day, and I was sitting home thinking about all of the things that Relay means to me and to everyone …and I started crying. I thought "this is silly …go do something constructive." So I drove to Fredonia State, walked into the Survivor's tent and said, "put me to work." With that I became fully connected to Relay. The thing that I have not told you is that I have been a patient at Roswell Park Cancer Institute since 1989. Four surgeries and too many procedures to count, I am proud to be "A Survivor". I also know that my fight is not over. Due to family history, I know that it will be a miracle if I do not also get breast cancer. I have received the greatest feeling of accomplishment by being a part of the Organizing Committee and the Survivor Committee Chair.

So, why I do Relay? I Relay to raise money for research so that hopefully there will be a cure for breast cancer before I need it. I Relay for all of the Survivors that walk into the tent on the day of the event, and the most recent reason that I Relay is for my dear young friend, Kara Mawhir, and the other children that I met in the Pediatric Chemo ward at Roswell. I accompanied Kara for a chemo treatment and met the most amazing and brave young people ages 7 to 17 while I was there. There is something very humbling about watching children that should be more concerned about learning to read or picking out a dress to wear for their Senior Prom in the battle for lives -- literally.

If you want to see what the Relay can do, sit and talk to a Cancer Survivor, talk to someone who is battling it, go watch the brave faces from this county that make the journey to Roswell; visit an oncologist at Brooks; go for a follow-up at WindSong and any of the numerous facilities that are providing their personalized care.

Why do I Relay??? Because I could not imagine giving up on myself and everyone else. Come and spend an hour, spend the day…it will change your life!