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Annual Relay for Life slated Friday
As the sun makes its way across the western sky on Friday evening eventually setting, hundreds of volunteers will converge at the Fort Scott Community College walking track to participate in the fight against cancer at the 2012 Bourbon County Relay for Life.
Frary Field, the outdoor stadium at Fort Scott High School, previously served as the venue for the annual event but organizers moved it to the college in an effort to provide a more visually enticing location.
"Visually it's going to be gorgeous," said Bailey Gray, local chapter chairwoman and cancer survivor, "a lot more open and welcoming."
Logistically, Gray said the new spot has brought about more challenges for committee members, but cooperation with the city and college has overcome some of those obstacles.
"We've made a lot of changes this year and it's kind of a new and improved relay," Gray said.
The new location will provide air conditioned spaces to escape the heat and a survivors' lounge inside the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center the night of the fundraiser.
The relay, which starts at 6 p.m. on Friday with the survivor and caregiver lap and parade of teams, draws cancer survivors, volunteers and community members. More than 100 cancer survivors attended the annual dinner, sponsored by the organization's local chapter, at First Presbyterian Church Tuesday evening.
For more than 10 years, participants have gathered in support of cancer victims and survivors for the 12-hour walk, dedicated to raising awareness and money for cancer research and care through the American Cancer Society.
The night-long walk, Gray said, is meant to mirror a cancer patient's journey.
"It's a long night and by time you're done, you're tired," she said. "When it starts at 6, everyone's upbeat and positive, but you get tired as the night goes through and people around are supporting you, and as the morning comes you start to see the light."
This year's theme, "Follow the yellow brick road to a CURE; There's no place like HOPE," has attracted about 45 teams and 400 participants for the cause, more than doubling last year's numbers.
Organizers said anyone, registered or not, is welcome to attend.
All the money raised -- more than $50,000 and counting -- will be split between Bourbon County patient care and research.
It's predicted that about 1.638 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed this year. Of those, 14,090 cases are in Kansas, according to the American Cancer Society.
"Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back -- we're celebrating our wonderful survivors that are still here and remembering those that have lost their battle with cancer and doing our part to fight back and hopefully eliminate the disease one day," Gray said.
A variety of activities will take place hourly during the relay, including a fishing derby, concerts, Fort Scott Idol performances and top of the hour challenges.
The luminaria ceremony is scheduled to take place at 9 p.m. followed by a special fireworks display for young resident Ty Lundberg. Ty was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at 3 weeks old and has since had to undergo monthly hospital visits.
Another cancer society motto is "a world with more birthdays," and on Friday evening, participants will help celebrate Ty's actual first birthday.
Ty's mother, Jacki Lundberg, said she and her husband, Josh, will have a booth set up, complete with a birthday cake and 150 cupcakes for family, friends and volunteers.
Accompanying the fireworks display will be a slide show chronicling survivors' journeys and the Lundbergs' challenge throughout the past year.
"It's very surreal," Lundberg said. "Bailey (Gray) asked us to do a slide show going through his first year and just having to sit down and pick out pictures and all the things we had to be careful about and even imagining today and how active he is now. It doesn't feel like we even went through that just a few months ago."
The walk will conclude with a donated breakfast served by the Fort Scott Fire Department, team awards and an announcement of final totals.
A closing prayer and final lap will occur about 5:45 a.m.
Gray, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2006, said she originally began participating in Relay for Life when her college classmate was diagnosed with cancer. The morning of the event, she received her own diagnosis.
"Everyone has a different reason to participate, so what you take away from that night will be different for everybody," Gray said. "It's hard to find someone who hasn't been touched in some way, either themselves, a family member or a loved one. And if they haven't already, unfortunately they probably will."