Heroes of Hope RelayForLife.org/global
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Global Relay For Life
Heroes of Hope 2012-2013
RelayForLife.org/global Global Relay For Life Heroes of Hope
2012 2013
©2012 American Cancer Society, Inc.
No.0301.32
Offer Hope. Encourage Involvement. Save Lives.
A highly visible symbol of a personal victory over cancer, the Global Relay
For Life Heroes of Hope and their profiles of courage encourage support and
participation in the programs of each international cancer organization.
More than simply inspiring us, cancer survivors and caregivers reaffirm the
missions of our organizations and reinforce, in a personal way, the need for all
of us to continue to fight back against cancer.
The Global Relay For Life Heroes of Hope survivorship initiative involves the
selection of Heroes of Hope from Global Relay For Life participating countries.
The initiative has three primary goals:
• To give each Global Relay For Life member country an opportunity to
recognize one or more cancer survivors who have impacted their
community
• To give one or more cancer survivors the opportunity to serve as a voice
for their country’s cancer organization
• To encourage other cancer survivors to actively share their own cancer
story and give hope to others
Following are the personal stories of 32 extraordinary cancer survivors
who represent courageous voices of HOPE. In telling their stories, they will
encourage others to support their cancer organization and to get involved in
Relay For Life events. As ambassadors of their country’s cancer organization,
these Heroes of Hope will inspire other survivors and expand the whole world
of cancer survivorship.
One World – One Hope!
1
Relay friends and family,
At its inaugural events in the mid-1980s, the American Cancer Society Relay For Life
movement typically hosted just a few survivors. Those who attended were unsure of their role
as survivors, and many still felt they should not utter the “C-word” in public. Each year, as
more and more people took up the commitment to show support for the cancer fighters in
their community, the sea of purple shirts grew and more survivors stood up to say, “Cancer
is a word not a sentence. I can beat it!” Today, Relay events proudly host more than 600,000
survivors each year. These extraordinary beacons of hope – and the caregivers at their side –
show us that, together, we’re stronger than cancer!
One of the greatest achievements of the Relay For Life program includes not only raising
more than $4 billion for the fight against cancer, but offering the same transformative
experience to cancer survivors across the globe! From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Sydney,
Australia, and from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to Moncton, Canada, survivors are showing that
cancer is defeated by coming together. No matter where you are in the world, our survivors
speak a common language - the language of HOPE! For some, it is the hope that a newly
diagnosed patient will live to celebrate their next birthday. For others, it is the hope that they
will dance at their grandson’s wedding. And, for others, it is the hope that nobody will have
to go through the pain and suffering of cancer ever again. It is hope that brings the strength
and courage to these survivors! One of this year’s Heroes of Hope, Sukhveer Kaur, sums it up
perfectly, “To all my fellow survivors who are going through this phase of their own cancer
journey and their caregivers, do not give up hope, and stay strong! Where there is hope,
there is light and life.”
2
The Global Relay For Life program offers communities the opportunity to celebrate survivors,
remember loved ones lost, and fight back against this terrible disease. Helping lead the way
in their communities to fight back are the 2012-2013 Global Heroes of Hope. Over the next
few pages, you will find stories of courage, survivorship, faith, and, most of all, hope! For
the millions going through their cancer journey, these Heroes of Hope demonstrate that they
should not hide their diagnosis, but instead celebrate life to the fullest.
Each new class of Heroes becomes stronger and stronger. This past year, the 2011-2012
Heroes shared their stories tens of thousands of times, spoke with their government leaders
to advocate for cancer research, traveled to hospitals to provide hope in the time of greatest
need, and served as ambassadors for their respective Relay programs. As I have often said
of them, “Once a Hero, always a Hero.” On behalf of the entire Relay For Life movement, I
thank these past recipients for paving the path for their newest fellow inductees, and I thank
all the Global Heroes of Hope for dedicating their time and passion to working to create a
world with more birthdays and less cancer!
One World – One Hope!
Reuel Johnson
National Vice President, Relay For Life
American Cancer Society
3
Global Relay For Life Heroes of Hope
2012 2013
Lori Bremner United States Keld Elmegaard Mortensen Denmark
Kedibone Bonoko South Africa Lillian Murray Canada
Ana Maria Cavaleiro de Ferreira Portugal Amanda Power Australia
Danielle “Didi” Coertze* South Africa William E. Pressly United States
Darren Couchman United Kingdom Agnes Put Belgium
Ole Dallris Denmark Yuko Sakurai Japan
Andrea De Young Canada Yayoi Sato Japan
Betty Gomes Malaysia Elvira G. Se Philippines
Carolind Graham Jamaica Kazuko Shinjo Japan
Kazuko Hamanaka Japan Carmen Cecilia Sierra Arroyave Guatemala
Julie Hanks United Kingdom Rikke Thomhav Skytte Denmark
Brenda Kabelu Zambia Kobus Smit South Africa
Suguna A/P Kanapathy Malaysia Thelma Suson United States
Sukhveer Kaur Malaysia Carolyn Williams Jamaica
Maxine Kirk United Kingdom Phylecia Wilson United States
Cindy Menache Belgium Obie Woolward South Africa
*Deceased
4
Lori Bremner United States
L
ori was a happy carefree college student when, a few days after her 20th birthday, her
world was turned upside down. After developing a high fever, and initially concluding it
was mononucleosis, she was diagnosed with leukemia. She was told she might live
another two years, but there was no evidence that long-term survival was possible. She
was 20 years old, and had no hope. She dropped out of school and went home to box
up her things, so that her parents would not have to take on that painful task when she
died. Her goal became to live long enough to celebrate her 22nd birthday. She has now been
cancer-free for more than 34 years!
Five years after her diagnosis and several experimental treatments, her doctors declared her cancer-
free. Once her body began looking and feeling normal again, Lori just wanted her life to look and feel
normal, too. She finished college, went on to earn a master’s degree, fell in love, got married, and had
three sons. She rarely thought about cancer during those years, except when she would hear someone
describing a minor inconvenience as though their life was about to end. Having cancer had truly taught
her that life is too short to ever sweat the small stuff.
Then one day, 20 years after conquering the disease, she found out about a Relay For Life event held
in her town. She went to an informational meeting where she heard a cancer survivor speak about the
event. From that moment on, Lori has completely immersed herself in the Relay For Life movement
and as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society. She still serves as a team captain at her local Relay
event, and her team is often a top fundraiser. She shares her passion for the event with others, and has
also begun advocating against the disease that caused her and her family so much suffering.
Lori now knows that her story provides a source of hope to others who are going through their own
cancer journey. She is seen as a resource in her community for anyone diagnosed, and she often spends
time with newly diagnosed patients or their caregivers to share her story and help them find the
courage they will need to keep fighting the disease. She dreams of a cancer-free world and hopes that
someday, when she has grandchildren, they will only know about cancer from their history books.
5
Kedibone Bonoko South Africa
K
edibone was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. When her doctor gave her the
news and told her that she only had three weeks to live, her entire world came tumbling
down. The only thought that came to her mind was concern for what would happen to
her two sons. Who would take care of them?
The night of her diagnosis, she turned to her faith. “It was as if God healed me that night,”
she says. “I started praying to Him, asking Him to restore my life, and in return I would work for Him.”
That was on November 5, 2010. From that day on, Kedibone has never looked back on life. “Though
I was very thin and had lost 30 kilograms (66 pounds), I had never felt so great about myself before.
There was never a dull moment. I always had a positive state of mind and attitude. I still have minor
setbacks, but considering where I was and how God had lifted me up from the dead, nothing really can
break my spirit now.”
The Cancer Association of South Africa Relay For Life movement is very special to Kedibone, “I survived
cancer, and I know the whole experience of living with the disease. Survivors, caregivers, and those
who did not win the battle deserve to be honored and remembered as we fight against cancer. Cancer
doesn’t sleep, so why should we?”
She now serves as the survivor chair for the Jeppe High School for Boys and Relay For Life on Ice at
Northgate events. She is also helping with the daily work at the Cancer Association of South Africa office
in Houghton, Gauteng Central, South Africa. She owns an events company called Afri-Tainment, which is
dedicated to hosting cancer awareness campaigns to educate the youth of South Africa about cancer.
Kedibone lives a positive life. Her new career and lifestyle are focused on helping people living with
cancer. “I found my purpose in life,” she says. “I knew God wanted me to do something positive with
my life. It’s the best job ever. It fulfills me.“
Kedibone has embraced the changes that being diagnosed with cancer has made in her life. Her motto
now is simple: Positivity is a possibility!
“I found my purpose in life.”
6
Ana Maria Cavaleiro de Ferreira Portugal
A
na Maria is above all a fighter. In overcoming two cancer diagnoses, she underwent a
total of 58 chemotherapy sessions, radiation therapy sessions, and five years of hormonal
therapy.
After her first (and hardest) battle, Ana Maria committed herself to fighting against
cancer in the name of others. She became a volunteer for Liga Portuguesa Contra o
Cancro at the Oncology Institute in Lisbon, passing on her personal story as a message of strength and
hope to others, so they could also see their diagnosis as a beginning – not as the end.
She was on duty at the hospital as a volunteer when she received the news of her second diagnosis.
Although devastated, she quietly continued working and took strength from other cancer patients. She
went home and decided to start fighting again, armed with the perspective her volunteering had given
her.
Ana Maria says, “The dark side does exist, but in the middle of darkness we can always find some light
– something positive. I found strength I didn’t know I had.”
When the Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro and the American Cancer Society joined together to bring
the Relay For Life movement to Portugal, there was no doubt that Ana Maria was the perfect person to
be the first national chairperson for Portugal’s Relay For Life events. Her determination, structure, and
management skills proved to be indispensable in reaching this goal. The success of the Relay For Life
program in Portugal right from the first event is greatly due to her commitment, her perseverance, and
her capacity to convey the survivorship message in a personal, positive, and hopeful fashion.
“In the months preparing for the Relay event there were so many magical moments, and from the
kick-off to the day of the event, I had the pleasure to watch an entire community lose the fear of the
word ‘cancer’ and learn to fight back against it,” Ana Maria says. “It means you are helping a whole
community understand that together they can overcome any adversity.”
“In the middle of darkness we can always find some
light – something positive. I found strength I didn’t
know I had.”
7
Danielle “Didi” Coertze South Africa
W
hen she was 17, cancer took Didi’s foot. Her final year of high school was
supposed to be the highlight of Didi’s life, and it certainly started off that way when she
was voted captain of Windsor House. Required to take part in all sports activities, Didi
had been having some pain in her ankle for a few months, and participating in sports
made the pain worse. She was in the first aid tent every half-hour getting deep heat rubs
and ice packs for the pain in her ankle. But, she carried on to reach her goal, winning
the Spirit Cup! She made an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon, who concluded that she was
suffering from osteosarcoma and recommended she begin chemotherapy immediately.
This, at age 17, marked the start of Didi’s cancer journey, with chemotherapy sessions, soon followed
by the amputation of her foot. Despite the drastic changes in her life and to her body, she adapted very
quickly. She was determined to grab life in remission by the horns and get back to normal as quickly as
possible.
Six weeks later, after a CAT scan, Didi was told that the cancer had spread to her lungs. But she did not
let despair set in. She decided she was going to live. “This was a conscious choice I made. I knew with
everything in me that I wasn’t going to die. So I started my life again, for the second time. I started
working on my goal I had from day one: to be at my school prom. And I started making it happen.”
Didi’s involvement with her Relay event began when she received her diagnosis. At first, she saw it as
a fun event for a good cause. She came to understand how much of a global movement it is, one that
people her own age needed to become involved with to ensure that one day all children grow up in a
cancer-free world. Didi used this opportunity to offer her support as a survivor to other survivors and to
raise awareness of cancer in her own community.
Didi’s motto throughout her cancer journey was: Giving up doesn’t mean you die. If it was that easy, a
lot more people would be doing it, so why give up?
Sadly, Didi Coertze lost her battle with cancer on April 13, 2012. A true Hero of Hope, her inspiration to
and impact on her community and her Relay family will live on.
8Darren Couchman United Kingdom
D
arren lost both his parents to cancer when he was 19. At the age of 27, he was
diagnosed with testicular cancer. Deciding that humor was a great way to cope with his
diagnosis, he set up his own campaign to get men to “check their balls” by completing a
4,000-mile tour around the UK called the “Testicle Tour.” He also published a book about
his experience, called One Lump or Two. As Darren puts it, “I was just an ordinary bloke.
Then, one day whilst soaking in the bath, I just happened to feel my bits and find a lump.
That lump turned out to be testicular cancer, and I became one of the 2,000 ordinary blokes who are
diagnosed in the UK each and every year.” Darren’s Testicle Tour holds the world record for the largest
group of men in a single location doing self-examination at the same time.
Shortly after his treatment, Darren became a media volunteer for Cancer Research UK, giving many print
and television interviews and appearing in several television advertisements. He became the first cancer
survivor to demonstrate testicle self-examination on daytime TV in the UK.
Darren’s introduction to the Relay For Life movement in 2008 occurred as a survivor at the Bury St.
Edmunds event. He was captivated by it, and in 2010 became survivorship chair for a new Relay event
being set up in his hometown of Clacton on Sea. The first year of the event was very successful, and it
has continued to grow significantly.
In 2009, Darren became an events assistant volunteer and quickly became a key member of the Relay
For Life team. His enthusiasm and passion for the charity shone, and his natural way with people
resulted in him becoming a very popular figure within the volunteer community. In February 2010,
Darren joined the volunteer fundraising department as the area volunteer manager for Essex.
Darren has dedicated himself to helping other ordinary men recognize the signs of testicular cancer
early, as he knows only too well the difference early diagnosis can make.
9Ole Dallris Denmark
I
n 1999, Ole was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a chronic cancer of the bone
marrow. The “crick” in his neck was actually the collapse of the neck vertebrae where
cancer was attacking the bone. He received radiation therapy and chemotherapy with
stem cell support using his own cells. In 2004, he had successful back surgery on seven
thoracic vertebrae, which relieved a lot of pain. His cancer remains stable and he is
celebrating 13 years as a survivor.
He is a key figure behind the Relay For Life of Randers, Denmark, sitting on its steering committee since
the event began in 2008. In addition, he is involved in the local work of the Danish Cancer Society
through organizing the national door-to-door campaign and other activities, including a network that
provides information and support to cancer patients and their families and caregivers.
Ole says, “It is important to me to be able to fundraise for further research and patient support.
Through Relay For Life, we are able to show that there is hope!” Helping people through his volunteer
work, means a great deal to Ole and has added great value to his quality of life.
He looks forward to the day when everyone survives cancer. He has shown his dedication to being part
of a movement that makes a difference through his long commitment with the Danish Cancer Society.
Despite Ole’s challenging health condition, he has never stopped believing in and sharing hope.
“It is important to me to be able to fundraise for
further research and patient support.”
10Andrea De Young Canada
A
n active young mother of two boys, then 7 and 10, Andrea had led a healthy lifestyle.
So when she was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer, her
family and friends were floored.
In 2009, after six rounds of chemotherapy, her friends invited her to join the Survivors
Lap of the inaugural Relay For Life event in her hometown of Stettler, Alberta, Canada.
Seeing all of the other survivors walking and supporting each other filled Andrea with an intense feeling
of hope and inspired her to become active in the Relay For Life community. “Walking that track with so
many other survivors while I was bald and puffy and facing so many unknowns in my life gave me such
hope,” she says. “I was hooked on the Relay movement from that moment on.”
After Andrea’s treatments were finished, she joined the Leadership Committee for the Stettler event
and has been an ambassador for the Canadian Cancer Society ever since. She can be seen at local trade
shows, community events, and even her grocery store expounding on her community’s passion for the
Relay For Life program.
Andrea has participated as a divisional volunteer and was involved with the planning of the Western
Canadian Annual Leadership Summit in the fall of 2011. Andrea and her community remember those
who fought valiantly against this cruel disease and they fight back to make a difference in the lives of all
Canadians. “To do this coast to coast to coast is very special,” she says. “It is important for everyone to
know they are not alone, whether they lost someone, are fighting cancer, or are looking after someone
fighting the disease.”
“It is important for everyone to know they are not
alone, whether they lost someone, are fighting cancer,
or are looking after someone fighting the disease.”
11Betty Gomes Malaysia
A
t the age of 41, Betty was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. After two operations,
six cycles of chemotherapy, and 30 radiation sessions, she was prescribed hormone
therapy for five years. She is still going strong and is very active in various cancer groups.
Her pillars of strength during her battle with cancer were her faith and her family.
Betty says that her cancer journey “has changed my perspective on life, taught me to
appreciate the simple things in life, see the bigger picture, and not to fret over the ‘small stuff’ in life.
I have come out of it a stronger person with a great passion to help others in their journey with cancer.”
After her treatment, she got involved with the National Cancer Society of Malaysia and embarked on
the journey of helping others with cancer. She serves on a group that fundraises for and hosts activities
and workshops for survivors, and helps patients along in their cancer journey.
Betty was in the core group of Pink Unity, a fundraising activity group set up in 2008, running
activities and workshops for survivors and helping patients in their journey with cancer. Today, Pink
Unity has more than 220 members and continues to grow. She also assisted in setting up a program
that helps new patients as they walk through the doors of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia.
She spends a lot of time advising patients on the activities, talks, wellness classes, and other services the
Society offers.
She was on the survivor team for the inaugural Relay For Life of Kuala Lumpur in 2007 and has actively
promoted the Relay For Life movement to the survivors and hospitals with whom she volunteers.
She is actively involved in cancer awareness programs, sharing her personal experience with cancer
through talks and media interviews, as well as her passion for helping others in their journey.
12Carolind Graham Jamaica
C
arolind, vice chairman of the Jamaica Cancer Society Reach To Recovery
program, is a wife, mother, and breast cancer survivor who tells everyone she meets,
“Breasts are an important part of the female anatomy; however, breasts do not make
a woman.”
A doctor’s visit in August 2004 showed the presence of cancerous cells. A biopsy
resulted in a breast cancer diagnosis followed by a mastectomy that October, and a five-year regimen
of Tamoxifen.
Carolind credits her recovery to her faith and to the support and love of both her real family, and her
Jamaica Reach To Recovery family. Reach To Recovery, the Jamaica Cancer Society’s breast cancer
survivors support group, was Carolind’s first source of information on breast cancer. It was there that
she was reassured that cancer was not a death sentence. The support group gave her hope and
motivation to fight cancer, both of which were critical in enabling Carolind and her family to cope
with changes in her appearance and self-image and in restoring her self-confidence.
She became actively involved with Reach To Recovery and is now the survivorship chair for her local
Relay For Life event in Kingston, Jamaica. She wants to extend to other survivors the hand of friendship,
support, and caring that she received there. Carolind takes every opportunity to offer counseling and
support to breast cancer survivors and has told her story through numerous television and radio interviews.
Carolind feels that the Relay For Life movement is an extension of the increased appreciation for life that
nearly all cancer survivors experience. She feels it is important because it brings together survivors from
all socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic areas, showing that cancer does not discriminate. To
Carolind, Relay For Life events show that despite all our perceived differences, ending cancer forever is
one cause that can unite us all.
13Kazuko Hamanaka Japan
A
t Relay events, brave men and women stand up and identify themselves as cancer
survivors and become symbols of hope. Kazuko experienced firsthand how a Relay For
Life event can change a person’s life. During her first Relay event in 2006, she met a
young woman who was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The woman had
hidden her illness from her friends and family, since, like many people in Japan and
around the world, she considered her cancer not just a death sentence, but something to
be ashamed of while she was still alive.
As a doctor, Kazuko is familiar with the stigma and loneliness cancer brings to many patients, including
some of her own friends. In 1993, at the age of 42, Kazuko herself was diagnosed with breast cancer,
fortunately at an early stage. Her cancer journey made her realize the challenges of being a cancer
patient in Japan. After her treatment, Kazuko made it her mission to help others by organizing a cancer
support group.
When Kazuko saw a past Japanese Hero of Hope, Hideaki Miura, often considered the “father of Relay”
in Japan, she immediately signed up to participate. She strongly believes Relay events bring people
together to learn not only how one can fight cancer but to emerge from that fight able to enjoy life to
the fullest. For three years, she attended Relay events with friends and family and made a personal vow
to support cancer survivors and become their advocate. Kazuko chaired the planning committee that
brought the Relay movement to her hometown of Hiroshima in 2009.
When asked why Relay For Life events are important in Japan, Kazuko said they help create a better
society for cancer patients without prejudice, enabling them to live normal lives.
Kazuko’s other important mission in life is to tell people about the importance of health examinations
for early detection of cancer. Early detection saves lives.
14Julie Hanks United Kingdom
I
n April 2006, six months after losing her younger sister to ovarian cancer, Julie was told
that the two of them also had that diagnosis in common. Six years, eight rounds of
chemotherapy, and a radical hysterectomy later, Julie is a beacon of hope, using her
cancer to inspire and help others in the same position.
After going through the trauma of cancer both personally and as a family member, Julie
wanted to make a difference for other women suffering from the disease and give them additional
support and a place to turn. Feeling that she “needed to help support others who had been through the
same experience I had,“ Julie set up a monthly support group for women battling ovarian cancer. Julie is
also a patient representative at her local hospital, offering patients support as they receive treatment.
Julie first took part in Relay For Life of Great Yarmouth four years ago as a survivor. She now serves as
the survivorship chair, bringing together other men and women from the local community who are
fighting the disease, to take part in this celebration of life. Last year, their Relay event raised more than
£46,000 for Cancer Research UK’s vital work.
Julie credits her family and her faith with helping her be here today. Cancer has given her a different
outlook on life, changing what she considers important. A true fighter and inspiration to all, Julie
believes each Relay For Life event represents a wonderful day of celebration of surviving cancer.
15Brenda Kabelu Zambia
S
ix years ago, at age 36 and after weaning her fourth child, Brenda found out she
had breast cancer. Her doctors prescribed a course of chemotherapy and radiation
treatments, followed by surgery. After it was discovered that the cancer had spread to
her liver, the doctors ruled out the surgery.
Brenda went through treatment with mixed feelings. She was often anxious about her
health, her family, and their financial situation. Through it all, she found the courage to look at the
positive impacts the disease was having on her life and used her experience to give hope to those
battling against cancer. Brenda volunteers with the Zambian Cancer Society and supports fellow
survivors and caregivers. She encourages family members and friends – and even strangers – to get
involved in the fight by telling her story on radio and TV. She also attended a breast cancer awareness
walk that was officiated by Zambia’s First Lady!
Brenda participated in the Zambian Cancer Society’s first Relay For Life event in 2011, with the support
of her mother and daughter. She walked around the track in memory of friends who had passed away
and in honor of those affected by cancer. Brenda took home second prize for the most laps walked,
with 57. She then volunteered to chair the survivor committee for the 2012 walk.
She says that through her Relay event, ”I have realized that, despite my tears, other people can lean
on my shoulders. Through Relay For Life events, we can remember loved ones lost, grieve, and find
healing.”
”I have realized that, despite my tears, other
people can lean on my shoulders.”
16Suguna A/P Kanapathay Malaysia
S
uguna’s cancer journey began in 1999 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer.
After undergoing radiation treatments and chemotherapy, and taking Femara, she is now
going strong and sharing her breast cancer experience.
Her first Relay For Life event was in 2008. There she made many friends from places
outside Kuala Lumpur. She also discovered how Relay events are a show of support and
awareness and fundamentally important in continuing the fight to defeat cancer.
Suguna gives talks about breast cancer and instructs women how to perform breast self-examination.
She conducts these talks in Tamil, which is both her native language and, in many places she visits, the
only language spoken. Suguna has made appearances on both local radio and television sharing her
breast cancer journey as well as her life after cancer. She also visits small villages throughout Malaysia to
speak with local women and visit those who are too ill to attend her talk.
Suguna really enjoys participating in Relay For Life events and particularly looks forward to taking part
in the Survivors Lap. She feels that Relay events show people with a cancer diagnosis that they are not
alone and that the Relay nation enables everyone to share and discuss their cancer journey.
17Sukhveer Kaur Malaysia
S
ukhveer is a four-year cancer survivor from Penang, Malaysia. She has been an
inspiration to others through her outreach work to those who are battling cancer.
She dedicates herself to providing guidance and emotional companionship to people
undergoing cancer treatment, accompanying them to their treatments and being with
them in their time of need.
In her own words, “Being diagnosed with cancer has been an emotional, spiritual, and uplifting journey
where some days are bleak and some days are bright, but my struggle to overcome has been stronger
every day.” Sukhveer continues, “Through this journey I have been proud of myself, celebrating life, as
every day is a beautiful day to look forward to. I am grateful and count my blessings. I have faith that I
am going to recover – instead of looking back, I keep walking forward. Every breath is so meaningful.”
She is passionate about the Relay For Life movement, serving as an active event committee member and
as co-chair of the Survivorship Committee for her local Relay event.
To her fellow survivors who are going through their own cancer journey, and their caregivers, Sukhveer
says, “Do not give up hope, and stay strong, as there is treatment. Where there is hope, there is light
and life.”
“Through this journey I have been proud of
myself, celebrating life, as every day is a beautiful
day to look forward to.”
18Maxine Kirk United Kingdom
T
here are not many people who can say that a Relay For Life event actually saved their
life, but Maxine can. At a Relay event in 2005, Max took part as a team member and
tried to forget the strange mole that had formed on the bottom of her foot, a mole her
doctor had told her was nothing to worry about. The event experienced torrential rain,
and Max’s feet – as well as the rest of her– got soaked. After the event, the mole began
to feel different, and Max went back to the doctor and insisted someone take another
look. She was then diagnosed with a malignant melanoma on her foot.
Max was not going to let this change her life, particularly not her love for the Relay movement, so she
signed up to join the event committee.
In 2009 and 2010, Max served as the event chair of the Relay event in Portsmouth, showing everyone
how she was getting on with her life and making the most of every moment. The event went on to
raise £100,000 over those two years. Last year, Max took on the role of Candle of Hope volunteer and
arranged the opening and closing ceremonies.
Max continues to promote her Relay event whenever she can, through work and by encouraging her
friends and family to join in or help on the committee.
Her caring and empathetic nature has ensured that all Relay participants, the survivors in particular, are
welcomed to the Relay family with understanding and thoughtfulness that makes them want to come
back year after year.
19Cindy Menache Belgium
I
n 2005, on her birthday, Cindy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided from the
beginning to be very open about her experience. Friends became like family and proved
to be very supportive, no doubt inspired by Cindy’s own positive attitude.
Having already lost three family members to cancer, Cindy was prepared for the disease,
the changes to come, and secondary effects. Even during her treatment, she endeavored
not to change her way of living: driving the children to school, cooking, housekeeping, while her
husband Maurice was often working outside the country. She even kept a diary and wasn’t afraid to
share her experience with anyone, friends and strangers alike, who wanted to listen.
She gave the medical team who treated her all her trust, and the various treatments proved successful.
In the period that followed, Cindy became very aware of the people facing cancer around her and
passed along the support she received from others.
As a cancer survivor, Cindy has become involved in many projects over the years to raise funds and
awareness for cancer. When she heard about plans for a Relay event in Belgium, she knew that it was
the kind of project that fit perfectly with her goals. In 2011, Cindy joined Belgium’s first Relay For Life
committee as a survivor co-chair and as a team leader. She proved to be a very active member and did
all she could to encourage survivors to participate and offer them an unforgettable 24 hours.
Cindy believes the Relay For Life movement is important in every country. Cancer knows no geographical
borders, and she acknowledges that people sometimes need a bit of encouragement to become active
in the fight against cancer. She sees Relay events as the perfect way of mobilizing them.
20Keld Elmegaard Mortensen Denmark
K
eld’s cancer journey began with pain in his abdomen in June 2008. He was diagnosed
with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and immediately underwent surgery and chemotherapy.
He is now celebrating more than birthdays as a survivor. His strength and support during
his fight with cancer came from his friends and family, especially his wife. He believes
that the power of thought has a major impact on health and healing as well as an
expression of his deep gratitude to life!
Keld is a professional trumpet player, which requires not only musical talent, but physical conditioning to
maintain breath support. During chemotherapy, Keld tried to exercise his abdominal muscles as much as
possible.
Cancer changed almost every aspect of his family’s life, including their diet. “We eat healthier, more
vegetables and fish,“ Keld explains. “I exercise more. I ran my first marathon in May 2011 and intend
to run my second in May 2012.” He and his wife also travel more often, as they want to live life to the
fullest together.
The Danish Cancer Society invited Keld to give a survivor speech at his local Relay event. He stepped
out from behind his trumpet and spoke to other cancer patients, their relatives, and other participants
about what made him a survivor and a fighter. Keld felt the experience was good for him, and he saw
the great work Relay volunteers do and how much the event means to so many. He volunteered to help
plan and organize the next local Relay event.
Keld’s Relay For Life involvement has become an important part of his fight against his cancer. It has
sparked a desire to help more people talk about having cancer and to contribute to the strength and
positive forces Keld believes reside within every human being.
21Lillian Murray Canada
L
illian is a true fighter. Her story began in 1991 when she was first diagnosed with breast
cancer. After surgery and six weeks of radiation, she was declared cancer-free. Lillian
went for regular checkups, and in 2003 discovered the cancer had returned. She was
told by her doctor that this time it was advanced and inoperable. Lillian underwent a
year of hormone therapies, which succeeded in shrinking the tumor enough to become
operable. After two surgeries, she was once again declared cancer-free. Two years later,
Lillian was told that it had spread to her other breast. Again, Lillian fought back and won. In 2011, her
cancer returned a fourth time. She is still undergoing treatment.
A short time after her second surgery in 2004, Lillian heard about the Relay For Life of Moncton event
on the radio, and she signed up to walk in the Survivors Lap. That June, she walked the first lap of the
event alongside many others survivors and was deeply moved. She knew she needed to become more
involved. She gathered together her closest friends and their family members and formed her own Relay
team, ”Breast Friends.”
Since 2005, the “Breast Friends” team has raised more than $50,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society
Relay For Life. Lillian’s team never gave any thought to giving up during her cancer journey. If anything,
everyone worked harder. She credits her survival to the tremendous support she received from family
and friends as well as from the Canadian Cancer Society.
Lillian has shared her inspirational story at many events, including Relay kickoff events, Leadership
Summits, and in radio and newspaper interviews. She has been told by her doctor that she may never
be cancer-free, but thanks to new treatments that have been developed since she was first diagnosed,
her disease can be managed. Lillian feels that her team’s fundraising efforts through Relay For Life
events had something to do with the discovery of these treatments. Lillian remains devoted to the cause
and firmly believes there are cures for cancer just waiting to be discovered.
22Amanda Power Australia
A
manda first took part in a Relay For Life event in 2006. She was just expecting a fun
time with her friends, but when she realized what the event was, she was hooked. After
Amanda lost her grandmother to cancer, she had been looking for a way to give back
and fight against the disease. In addition to her grandmother, Amanda also lost her
closest friend to cancer. At the age of 20, Amanda herself was diagnosed with cervical
cancer. Since then, Amanda has waged battles against uterine cancer, ovarian cancer,
and, in 2012, melanoma.
“Being a cancer survivor has taught me that as long as you are up for the challenge and as long as you
never lose hope, you can survive cancer,” Amanda says, adding, “Once you are a cancer survivor, you
can do anything!”
Amanda’s cancer journey has made her more determined to make a difference in the fight against the
disease. As she says to the students at the high schools where she promotes Relay events, “I may not be
the genius who cures cancer, but I may very well raise the dollar that funds the researcher that does find
the cure to this indiscriminate disease!”
For Amanda, the Relay For Life movement has become a huge part of her focus. It has found a place
in her heart and in her life. Since 2010, Amanda has been part of the Relay For Life of Townsville
committee and has most recently joined the Cancer Council Queensland Relay For Life Volunteer
Training Team. She knows that Relay events help spread hope, help inform everyone about the
patient support services that the Cancer Council funds, bring communities together, and allow people
with cancer to connect with others who have been through a similar experience.
The Relay For Life movement is Amanda’s passion. If she could have it her way she would walk in a Relay
event every day in the fight against cancer. “I now have many reasons and inspirations to participate in
a Relay event,” she says. “I walk to give hope!”
“I may not be the genius who cures cancer, but I may
very well raise the dollar that funds the researcher
that does find the cure to this indiscriminate disease!”
23William E. Pressly United States
A
seven-year, stage 4 throat cancer survivor, Bill has been a volunteer for the American
Cancer Society for just six years, but he has packed a lot of volunteer work into those
six. In 2011, Bill received the St. George National Award, which recognizes outstanding
volunteers who have demonstrated ongoing leadership in community mission delivery
and have contributed to furthering the strategic goals and programs of the Society.
Bill serves as a volunteer in the Cancer Resource Center in Cumberland County, Tennessee, and on the
Relay For Life of Cumberland County committee, most recently as the mission delivery chairperson.
A retired attorney, Bill has been active in advocacy, especially in the mission of tobacco control. He
served as a Relay For Life advocacy chair from 2007-2009 and as an American Cancer Society Cancer
Action Network Ambassador Constituent Team leader, and currently serves as Tennessee’s state lead
ambassador. In this capacity, he is often called upon to be the media spokesperson for the American
Cancer Society at advocacy events. He also serves on the board of the Society’s Mid-South Division.
Bill also represented the Mid-South Division as a Relay For Life Hero of Hope and served as co-chairman
for the Mid-South Hero of Hope program during 2010-2011. He is part of the Mid-South Division Relay
For Life training team, a member of the Society’s Health Initiative Action Team in Cumberland County,
and a member of the Mid-South Division Relay For Life Quality Assessment Team. Last summer, he
volunteered as a counselor for Camp Horizon, the American Cancer Society’s child oncology camp in
Tennessee.
When asked why the Relay For Life movement is important in the US, Bill responds that it “helps
maintain focus on the war on cancer by providing communities the ability to remember those who lost
their lives to cancer, celebrate those who survived cancer, and enable all who have been touched by
cancer to fight back against this disease by increasing awareness.”
24Agnes Put Belgium
F
our years ago, Agnes was diagnosed with breast cancer. Looking back now, she is
convinced that this fight, the most important and toughest of her life, taught her the real
meaning of pride, friendship, positive energy, and courage. She says her cancer journey
made her realize “the meaning and importance of strong and unexpected friendship at
times when I needed it the most.”
A new friendship with her sister, an 11-year cancer survivor, formed. This friendship enabled Agnes to
fight against her cancer and weather the side effects of the treatment. It is also how she got involved
in a physical rehabilitation program called “Rekanto,” organized by the Fondation Contre le Cancer.
Together, survivors who had just finished treatment worked to improve their physical well-being. Today,
Agnes continues to volunteer with this program as a coach for other patients.
In October 2011, Agnes decided to take the lead as a team captain in one of the first Relay For Life
events ever organized in Belgium. She organized a bicycle rally for other patients she knew from the
rehabilitation program. She made sure that the rally got excellent press coverage and also shared her
own story in that article. She kept her team motivated and on the move for the 24 hours of the Relay
event, as it symbolized her around-the-clock fight against cancer.
“My wish is that everyone who is diagnosed with cancer could win this fight with the same support as
I have received,” Agnes says. “That encourages me to take a prominent role, both in the fight against
cancer and in the well-being of other cancer patients I meet, and to participate actively in Relay For
Life events. As a survivor, I realize the importance of research and science to improve the diagnosis and
treatment of cancer. Every step our team walked was important as a symbol of the fight I had been
through myself.”
Agnes will be team captain again for the next Relay For Life event in her community and is already busy
organizing her bicycle rally again as a kick-start for her team.
“My wish is that everyone who is diagnosed with
cancer could win this fight with the same support
as I have received.”
25Yuko Sakurai Japan
L
ike many Japanese women, Yuko considers herself just an ordinary housewife with no
social status, no authority, and no career. Nevertheless, she chaired a committee that
successfully planned and launched the first Relay For Life event in Kyoto, the
“cultural heart of Japan.”
When Yuko wrapped up her first committee meeting, she said, “I’m going to get my
cancer removed the day after tomorrow. But don’t worry. I’ll come back in a few days.” True to her word,
she came back a few days after her surgery and began actively recruiting sponsors the following week.
She has not always been this active. When Yuko was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 52, she
struggled to find meaning in her life, worried about her mounting medical bills, and – as cancer patients
in Japan too often tend to do – kept to herself.
During her cancer journey, Yuko discovered the Japan Cancer Society and learned about the Relay For
Life movement. She was amazed at to see the cancer survivors at Relay events smiling, proud to be
survivors. She had found her motivation to get up, be strong, and live like the men and women she saw
in a Relay For Life video. When Yuko attended a Relay event in a nearby community, she was overcome
by so many emotions as people applauded her as she walked around the track for her first Survivors
Lap. It made her want to deliver this same inspirational experience to her fellow survivors in Kyoto.
In September 2011, her committee hosted the first Relay For Life event in Kyoto. Despite bad weather
and delays, 27 survivors had an emotional experience as they, too, took their first Survivors Lap,
revealing to their community that they were cancer survivors.
“I participate in Relay because it makes me proud of myself to live as a survivor,” Yuko says. She is
grateful for how her Relay experience changed her perception of what cancer is and who a cancer
survivor can be. She believes the Relay movement will be the driving force to improve cancer treatment
and to spread the correct information and knowledge about cancer. She now dreams of creating a
cancer-free world, one Relay event at a time.
“I participate in Relay because it makes me proud
of myself to live as a survivor.”
26Yayoi Sato Japan
Y
ayoi was 34 when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Her cancer journey was not
easy, and it came at a time when her company was experiencing a financial crisis.
Her worries about her job and the feeling that she had received a death sentence
through her cancer diagnosis nearly overwhelmed her. But she managed to maintain a
positive attitude and a strong desire to live, giving herself the courage to keep fighting
and to survive.
When Yayoi discovered the Relay For Life movement and the Japan Cancer Society, she saw them as a
way to perhaps help others in her community, as well as a way she could thank those who supported
her through her own cancer journey. Yayoi believes Relay events provide a place for people to learn
about cancer and dispel their misconceptions about this disease. The people at Relay events bring so
much positive energy, which gives strength and hope to other cancer survivors.
Yayoi is committed to helping other cancer patients make their cancer journey a little easier than hers
was. She also strives to encourage everyone to get screened for early detection and to make choices
to live a healthy life and reduce their cancer risk. She wants to do whatever is possible to raise cancer
awareness and prevent new cases of cancer in her country.
With all these in mind, Yayoi is determined to work with the Japan Cancer Society to raise the
importance of cancer prevention and help the Relay For Life movement grow.
27Elvira G. Se Philippines
E
lvira was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 43. In the Philippines, it is still
difficult to openly talk about cancer, because of the stigma that cancer is a disease to be
ashamed of and a death sentence. In addition, a financial burden often comes with the
disease, which is compounded by a lack of social services. Enduring six rounds of
chemotherapy became such a hardship on Elvira, she considered ceasing her treatment.
Fortunately for Elvira, she found strong support in her family and from the Philippine Cancer Society. She
was able to continue her treatment and find a support group that gave her inspiration and hope. With
the help of the Philippine Cancer Society, she was able to complete her treatment. Now, she is a happy
and proud survivor who has celebrated an additional 16 cancer-free birthdays.
Elvira had her first Relay For Life experience in 2005. At the event, she found the courage and strength
to stand up and share her cancer story with others. Her goal now is to raise cancer awareness in her
country. She wants to eliminate the stigma of cancer through the Relay movement, as well as cancer
itself.
Over the years, she has learned to live her life to the fullest. Elvira credits the Philippine Cancer Society
with introducing her to the Relay nation, which has made life more meaningful for her, her family,
and her fellow survivors. Elvira’s goal is to help the Philippine Cancer Society grow the Relay For Life
movement and invite more cancer survivors to participate. She is also a strong advocate of cancer
support groups, which serve as a source of comfort and encouragement to those still going through
the beginning steps of their cancer journey.
28Kazuko Shinjo Japan
W
hy me?,” Kazuko asked when she heard her most dreaded phrase, “you have cancer.”
Five years ago, she was diagnosed with follicular thyroid cancer with multiple bone
metastases. Further tests showed her cancer was in an advanced stage. During treatment,
she continued to fight cancer as it affected her bones, forcing her in and out of the
hospital. She eventually had to undergo surgery when the cancer spread to her spine.
This caused Kazuko so much pain and made her so weak that she could no longer
perform daily tasks and chores. As is too often the case with cancer patients in Japan, she felt lonely
and guilty for becoming a burden to her family. She kept to herself, completely shut off from the world.
It was during this difficult time of her cancer journey that a friend brought her a DVD about the Relay
For Life movement to help her out of her depression. Kazuko was amazed to find out there were cancer
survivors just like her, smiling as they stood up and identified themselves as survivors. She immediately
made plans to attend a Relay event herself, so she could experience the hope that the people in the
DVD appeared to enjoy.
After she attended a Relay event, the following year, Kazuko became a member of the planning
committee to bring a Relay event to her community of Saitama. She continues to work on this committee,
bringing courage and hope to survivors, but she says, “I am the one receiving courage and hope from
them.” She is committed to encouraging everyone to have an annual physical examination. As she
shares her story, she tells everyone that if her cancer had been detected earlier, her treatment would
have been easier and less painful. Cancer completely changed not only her life but also that of her
family. They, too, are determined to stay healthy and focus on the good side of her journey, celebrating
life every single day.
Kazuko wants a Relay For Life event held in every community in Japan, as she believes it is a good
opportunity to make people aware of the disease and the importance of screening, as the cancer
screening rate is still low in Japan. She also wants cancer survivors to realize that they are not alone and
that they have people to support them.
29Carmen Cecilia Sierra Arroyave Guatemala
C
armen’s journey began in May 2010 when she felt a lump in her breast. She vividly
remembers hearing the words, “you have cancer,” when she was diagnosed with stage
4 breast cancer, which had spread to her lung. Before she knew it, she had begun a
regimen of chemotherapy and undergone a mastectomy. This experience helped her
grow spiritually and emotionally, and it allowed her to share her testimony with others
through support groups, prayer groups, and, most importantly, to be there personally for
many who needed moral and spiritual support.
A few months before she was declared cancer-free, Carmen was invited to participate in a support
group session. She later became the spokesperson for the Una Voz Contra el Cancer survivor network
and the the Guatemalan Union Against Cancer. The union’s goal is to reach out to those on their cancer
journey and to promote government involvement in the implementation of programs and facilitation of
treatment, especially to the underprivileged. Her involvement gave Carmen the opportunity to receive
training to effectively share her cancer journey with others throughout Guatemala, promoting cancer
prevention and support groups.
“Now my life has more purpose, “she says. “I feel the need to reach out to the many women in my
country who never heard of or learned about cancer, who may die uninformed.” By raising cancer
awareness, Carmen feels these Guatemalan women will now have the opportunity to seek screenings
and treatment that can give them the chance to fight for their lives.
Her goal for next year is to create a project based on the American Cancer Society Look Good…Feel
Better® program, teaching female cancer survivors how to cope with the effects of treatment on their
appearance. Carmen will invite professional make-up artists to give survivors makeovers at her next
Relay For Life event.
Carmen’s first Survivors Lap made such an impression on her that she now believes the Relay For Life
movement is important to help raise cancer awareness in Guatemala , as well as awareness of the need
to support cancer patients both physically and emotionally. “It helps in the fight to know we are not
alone and that we cannot give up,” she says, “and that if we fall, there will be someone there to help
us stand up again.”
30Rikke Thomhav Skytte Denmark
R
ikke was 35 years old when she was diagnosed with lymphoma. She credits her friends
and family with helping her get through her cancer journey. “Throughout my
difficult battle with cancer, I had fantastic support from my husband and family,” she
says. In addition to her family and close friends, she credits her stubbornness, humor,
and positivity in helping her beat cancer. In June 2012, she will celebrate one year as a
survivor.
Rikke’s will, enthusiasm, and fighting spirit shows in her passion for the Relay For Life movement. During
her treatment in 2010, while sitting in the waiting room at the hospital, she saw a brochure about a
Relay For Life event. After speaking with the Relay event chair in her city, she registered herself and her
father as survivors and formed a team. Their team was called “Livsnyderne” (Danish for “the people
who enjoy life”).
Rikke found the Relay For Life experience exhilarating and moving, and was motivated by the fighting
spirit of the participants, both young and old. “Everyone was fighting for the same goal, to raise as
much money as possible to fight cancer and nothing, including heavy rain and a power outage, could
deter them from celebrating and remembering during the Luminaria Ceremony,” she says. “I’ve never
experienced something so life-affirming.”
After her first Relay event, she volunteered as a Fighter Ambassador (a newly established network of
survivors in Denmark). Rikke believes that the Relay For Life movement and its message of hope need to
be spread out to as many as possible.
“I’ve never experienced something so life-affirming.”
31Kobus Smit South Africa
H
is personal history with the disastrous effects of cancer on his family and – losing a
father, mother, and eldest brother all in one year to three different types of cancer –
motivated Kobus to become a dedicated volunteer for the Cancer Association of South
Africa (CANSA).
Despite losing his parents and brother to cancer and being involved with CANSA and
its activities for 18 years at the time, Kobus still found his world turned upside down when he was
diagnosed himself.
His diagnosis gave him new momentum to help end this disease, and Kobus became an even stronger
campaigner for CANSA. As a matter of fact, it motivated him to become a full-time spokesperson and
volunteer for the fight against cancer.
In 2009, Kobus was part of the steering committee for the first Relay For Life of Mossel Bay. He was
in charge of marketing and media outreach, as well as recruiting donors and sponsors. Kobus served
on the Cape Provincial Council/Board and on the National Board. Currently, he serves as the CANSA
Governor for the Western Region of the Southern Business Unit of South Africa.
Kobus is a huge proponent of the Relay For Life movement. He believes Relay events are “incredible
lifestyle events in which politics, race, religion and personal differences play no role. Consequently, the
diverse people and communities of South Africa – with so many negative legacies – are more and more
discovering this life-changing experience that touches everybody and which has a common purpose
with which everybody can identify, namely the fight against cancer.”
“The diverse people and communities of South
Africa are more and more discovering this
life-changing experience that touches everybody,
namely the fight against cancer.”
32You can also read
