Nearly six years ago, the first Relayers took to the track at Fredonia State University College for the first Relay For Life event in our area. A handful of dedicated, hard-working and, might I add, extremely persistent committee members worked like mad to pull it off. They contacted the local media to plead for news coverage. They received some pre-event coverage and a picture of the event appeared in the newspaper shortly after. By all accounts it was a fairly successful first event, but it was only the beginning.

The next year, those dedicated committee people expanded their team and pressed even harder for publicity. Because I had been involved in the local community theater group with one of those persistent Relay committee members, I soon discovered Relay For Life was going to be an event I would provide news coverage for.

I think I'm like many people whose heart skips a beat at the mere thought of being inflicted with cancer. I swallow hard when someone my age is diagnosed and whisper a, "there but by the Grace of God go I." But even worse, as a parent, I know I'm not alone when I see a strange bump on one of my children and break out in a cold sweat or scour the Internet in a panic for answers when one of my children appears to have some abnormal or prolonged illness. For those reasons, when I was asked to assist with the newspaper publicity for Relay For Life, I willingly did what I could even though I hadn't really been personally affected by cancer. I understood the importance of the work the American Cancer Society did, I believed in the cause and I knew the people involved in Relay For Life would make sure the event was a success.

Since I began helping approximately five years ago, my mother, sister, brother-in-law and several close friends have all been diagnosed with cancer. To some degree, they all have benefited from the donations received by the American Cancer Society. From research funded by ACS to find effective treatments to the Road to Recovery van that carries patients to and from their medical appointments, I am more aware and appreciative of everything those Relay For Life donations do for people right here in our neighborhood.

There isn't a cure for cancer, yet. There isn't a vaccine to shield us from getting cancer, yet. But not too many years ago, the diagnoses almost surely meant death. That's no longer the case. Many more people are surviving than ever before. Great strides have been made in developing effective treatments. The money donated to the American Cancer Society has made a visible, meaningful impact.

Why do I Relay? I Relay because it's something proactive I can do to try to protect my children, and yours. Come join me. Cancer cannot win if we all fight it together.

Tracie Lorenzo
Former OBSERVER Family Editor
2004 Dunkirk-Fredonia area Relay For Life Co-Chair