Memories of my First Relay for Life
Sunday, June 27, 2010
By: Renate Martin

My experiences when I pledged my team support, how we raised money and what the experience taught me about cancer.

Memoires of my First Cancer Relay

I lost my daughter Laura to cancer after a six year battle with sarcoma on Octrober 27/09. I know that I am not alone. This year we entered our TEAM LAURA in her honour and memory. Our team Relay is now over and thanks the overwhelming support of family and friends; I was able to contribute almost $4,000. Collectively, our Team Laura raised almost $20,000. in memory of my daughter Laura. Doug (my son-law) our team captain was the top fundraiser in Guelph with over $10,000.
What a magnificent tribute. Emotionally there were times when it was very draining, and a lot of tears were shed. I also learned a lot about cancer that I did not know before. I think for me the generosity of everyone was inspiring. People truly wanted to help to find a cure for cancer. I was shocked to discover just how many lives are affected by cancer. While I canvassed my own neighbours, one of them was just recuperating from loosing one of his lungs to cancer while he handed me his donation. Wow. One of my clients made a generous donation; while they shared that their niece was again battling the big C. A co worker battled breast cancer twice and a prominent community member displayed his radiation mask on his office floor as a reminder of what he had gone through. One of my dear friends is celebrating almost 10 years of being cancer free. The lady I babysat for had a mastectomy 11 years ago, while another friend lost her husband to cancer. When we had our garage sale, there were stories from cancer survivors, who through sheer will, cured themselves of this awful monster. Some were not as fortunate, in fact two people stopped in at the garage sale, gave us a donation as they were on their way to another Relay to help find a cure, even though the gentleman was suffering from prostrate cancer. One of the nicest happenings was my two neighbour children, aged 8 and 5 decided to sell water and popcorn while we conducted our garage sale. What great sales people. At the end, Luc and Mia gave me their little box which had $62.10 in it. God bless them. Thanks to all of the generous friends, neighbours and strangers, who donated goods, we made over $700 in Niagara Falls and the balance of items went to Guelph where the following week we made another $2,600 from this sale, which all went into our team fund.
The relay took part on Guelph Conservation Park. We started at 7 and went till 7 in the morning. They had entertainment, good food and all of the survivors wore yellow shirts. I have to admit I was quite envious wishing that my Laura could have been a survivor. Lots of luminaries lit the path for all of the participants. The glow along the track was breathtaking. During the night, I met a lady who was doing a marathon so we marched on together and she told me her story. I again learned a valuable lesson. She told me her father-in law had a brain tumour and after the operation, he hemorrhaged. The hospital said there was nothing else they could do for the man, so the family brought him home and took care of him 24/7 for the next twelve years. Wow. Then she said, that if they had let the hospital have their way, her five daughters would have never gotten to know their grandfather. I thought about my Laura and realized that she too had been given six extra years to educate her children, watch them mature and prepare her family with stronger life skills to go on when she was no longer there. That was my lesson at the Relay. At 4:00 am I was still on the track, continuing my marathon Relay. The birds were just beginning to sing and the sky was getting lighter. I looked up to the heavens, talking with Laura and sensed that she was so proud of all we had accomplished. I know we can't bring her back and I believe she is in a better place. We all were on a high at the end of the Relay and have made a commitment to repeat this in 2011. I thank everyone for participating with "TEAM LAURA" and for FIGHTING BACK.