20 2014 RELAY FOR LIFE MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com July 28, 2014
Logan County Relay For Life kicks off
2014 campaign, ‘Cooking Up a Cure for Cancer’
On Monday evening, it was only
the heartiest of brave souls who
ventured out into a bitter cold
evening. Traveling snow- and ice-
covered streets to go anywhere,
those present at the Lincoln
Christian Church conference room
get even more credit. They were
American Cancer Society workers,
survivors and caretakers, those
interested in eradicating cancer.
Their mission on this cold winter’s
evening was to begin the work on
the 2014 Relay For Life in Logan
County.
Following a potluck dinner,
this year’s team sign-ups were
initiated and team leaders were
introduced; local and national
accomplishments were reviewed
and the latest information on the
war on cancer was shared.
Best of all was the celebration
of life of all those in the room.
About a dozen people stood when
cancer survivors were recognized.
Following that, caretakers were
recognized as well, and about
double the number stood.
A survivor by the name Kathleen
was asked to share her story.
She began, “If it was not for the
Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer
Program, I would not be here.”
Kathleen shared that it was in
the spring of 2006 that she was
pretty sure she had cancer. She
had a 20-hour-a-week job with no
insurance and was in the middle of
master’s degree work. She put off
doing anything out of concern of
being labeled with a pre-existing
condition and began trying to
find full-time work with health
insurance benefits.
In November 2006, it occurred to
Kathleen that the IBCCP might
actually help with her treatment in
addition to diagnosis, if in fact she
did have cancer. Relieved when
they said yes, she said, “Sign me
up.”
“It was Feb. 2 of 2007 I count as
my anniversary because that was
the date of my surgery,” she said.
All the cancer was removed and
she happily announced that she has
been cancer-free since.
Kathleen addressed the caretakers
in the room. She wanted those who
provide emotional support to know
how important they are to a cancer
patient.
She said, “You don’t know how
important having someone to talk
to can be, just to be able to have
someone hear how tired you are,
particularly to be a parent wiped
out by chemo or radiation.”
She observed that the care
extended in the week after surgery
is so valuable, but in every step of
the way it is appreciated, counting
as caretakers even those who were
simply present for the current
meeting.
A Logan County teen, Trenton
Crawford, has been involved with
the Relay For Life since he was
in junior high and heads a team.
Crawford did introductions and
facilitated the meeting.
In support of the American Cancer
Society successes, Crawford said,
“The American Cancer Society has
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