Stepping Stones For Survival

It’s that time of year again. Relay for Life reminds me what a precious gift life is. At the Survivor Reception, tears moistened my eyes as an American Cancer Society volunteer handed me a white survivor T shirt and placed a white and purple survivor sash on me. These items reminded me that I’ve been cancer-free now for nine and a half years. Hurray. At the reception, I sat with a lady I know and her husband. They joined in the celebration because her husband is cancer-free too. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of chicken, coleslaw, baked beans, and cookies. Both my friend’s husband and I won door prizes. This added to the festivity as we got up to pick our door prizes from the long tables full of wrapped gifts. We had no idea what we had selected, but we were both pleased with our surprise gifts. He unwrapped his prize and found a large can of Virginia peanuts. I found a basket full of lotions and creams. After the reception, we lined up for the survivor lap. The excitement built as the music played, and the other people lined up on both sides of the track. I thought I would burst with joy as I carried the vertical banner for the survivor lap. As we survivors walked around the track, people on both sides of it clapped, cheered, waved different kinds of pom poms or flags, called us by name, and cried with us. The highlight of the evening occurred when the lights went out, and the luminaries flickered in the breeze. On one side of the track the word, “CURE,” lit up the darkness. I walked in silence across the field to capture a picture of that sign. Thank you, God, for the gift of life.

 Copyright © May 26, 2010 by Yvonne Ortega

“Would you like to go to Relay for Life this evening?” My friend Carolyn, an annual participant, called to invite me to go with her.

Of course I accepted the invitation. What a thrill to tell the lady at the Relay for Life registration desk that I’m an eight and a half year cancer survivor. As she handed me a purple survivor T shirt and a white survivor sash, I beamed.

Carolyn and I walked to the open field where the survivors gathered. She took my picture before it got dark. Only cancer survivors walked the first lap around the course. Then survivors and care-givers walked the next one together. We celebrated the recovery of each of survivor present.

Relay teams set up many different stands to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Some of the team members set up tents inside the circle around the track to stay overnight and their children played near their tents.

As it grew dark, the relay team members lit the luminaries, bags filled with sand and a candle. Before the event, they had written the name of a survivor or someone who had died from cancer on the bags. Some bags included pictures or artwork. Carolyn bought a luminary in memory of her mother. I stooped to take a picture of it. I squealed when I found one with my name on it and took a picture of it.

Life is a gift, and Relay for Life annually reminds me of how precious life is.

Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega July 12, 2009