In just two days, dedicated teams of individuals will gather at Dumas Junior High to take part in the annual Moore County Relay for Life event. The 12-hour walk begins Friday at 7 p.m. and concludes Saturday at 7 a.m.
Teams have been gearing up for the event by conducting various fundraising activities and it won‚t be long until the American Cancer Society receives the funds generated from all their hard work.
Where do the funds raised during a Relay for Life event go? According to information provided by the American Cancer Society at relayforlife.org, funds are used to help people stay well, to help people get well, to help fight back and, ultimately, to help find a cure.
When it comes to finding a cure, the American Cancer Society says it has “had a hand in nearly every major cancer breakthrough of the last century, including confirming the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, establishing the link between obesity and multiple cancers, developing drugs to treat leukemia and advanced breast cancer, and showing that mammography is the most effective way to detect breast cancer.”
What began as a single man's mission in 1985 has turned into what the society calls “the world’s largest movement to end the disease.” This refers to the fact that Dr. Gordy Klatt, a surgeon in Washington state, embarked on a 24-hour run/walk to raise money for American Cancer Society in what was the inaugural Relay for Life event.
If you participate in or witness a Relay for Life event from the sidelines you will notice each team has at least one member walking at all times, even during overnight hours. This, the American Cancer Society says, is due to the fact that cancer never sleeps.
To find out more about the Relay for Life movement, visit relayforlife.org.
