Why I relay
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
By: Catherine Chaput

I Relay for hope that one day there will be a cure. I Relay for all the suffering that cancer can/does cause. I Relay for all the people and their families who are affected by cancer. I Relay for all those I have lost, I love you all.

My aunt Diane was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in 1989. She needed a bone marrow transplant, which my father happily donated. In return, we received a couple of extra years with her until she lost her battle in 1997. I Relay to honor her memory.
My uncle Jean battled non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for almost 10 years. He has been declared cancer free for almost three years now, but his body is still coping with the devastating effects of the disease. He's had two hip replacements and will soon need to have both knees replaced. I Relay to support all the struggles he has had to face.
My aunt Polly (after standing by my Uncle Jean) lost her life to brain cancer, except her cancer was quick and ruthless. We didn't even know she had it until she was on life support. I Relay because I know she would too if she was still here.
My P?p?re (grandpa in French) passed away in Jan 07. We all thought he died because of old age; however his CT scan results we received a few weeks after the funeral showed the begging stages of pancreas cancer. I Relay to remember him.
My second cousin Paulette is currently dying of pancreas cancer. I Relay for hope.
I Relay for hope that one day there will be a cure. I Relay for all the suffering that cancer can/does cause. I Relay for all the people and their families who are affected by cancer. I Relay for all those I have lost, I love you all.