Volunteers will walk around the clock in the battle against cancer when the eighth annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Tamarac/N. Lauderdale gets underway. Teams of residents will be gathering at Millennium Middle School in Tamarac on May 17-18 where opening ceremonies begin at 6 pm.
Because cancer does not discriminate, the Relay brings people together of all ages and all walks of life for a common cause: fighting cancer.
The 18-hour event represents the struggle a cancer patient endures during their treatment. The setting sun at the end of the day symbolizes the time when a patient has been diagnosed, and the early morning hour of 1 am represents the time when a cancer patient is exhausted from starting treatment. While the walkers are exhausted from walking all evening and may even want to go home., the sun rising represents the end of treatment for the cancer patient. They see the light at the end of the tunnel and realize they can make it after all.
“I have relayed in the past but never really understood the significance until I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. I look forward to walking the Survivor Lap with my family and friends at Relay.” said Team Development Chair Tara Piatek.
Relay is a family fun event with bounce houses, food, activities and much more that will be available throughout the night. All proceeds from the evening benefit the American Cancer Society.
Cancer survivors will be honored during the Survivor Lap/Dinner that begins at 6:30 pm. A Luminaria Ceremony will be held at 9 pm to honor those who have won their battles with cancer and remember those that lost theirs. Luminaria bags are purchased in honor of someone or in memory of a loved one. They are lit during the ceremony with a candle inside.
For more information, please call Julie Fishman at 954-461-1311 or Tara Piatek at 954-812-3050. www.relayforlife.org/tamaracnlfl or you can find them on Facebook.