I relay because I can
Thursday, May 31, 2012
By: Krista Marciano

For those I have loved and lost. For those who fight and those who triumph.

Cancer will touch all of us at some point or another in our lives. Whether it be a friend of a friend, a friend, or a family member, or even more, ourselves. For me, once was one time too many. This year I have decided to Relay because Cancer has touched my family in so many ways. When my mom passed away from Brain cancer 25 years ago, it was devastating. Little did I know that over the next 25 years, cancer would touch my life in ways I would never imagine. The biggest one was when my grandfather was diagnosed with Bone Marrow Cancer. Something I didn't even know existed. Being raised by my father and paternal grandparents, I was extremely close to my "Granddad". He taught me so much about life and how to life. I was heartbroken when he passed away one month after my wedding. Little did I know, Cancer would yet again touch my life, one year later. When I lost the strongest woman I know, my mother in-law. She had beaten it before and I was sure she would beat it again. Alas, it took her too. Again, I found myself heartbroken and devastated that this horrible illness was making its way around the people I loved and was one by one removing them from my life. Again, one year after that, I lost the most inspirational woman in my life, my role model, my grandmother. She was my rock, my strength, my everything. It was in a blink of an eye so many people were fighting the battle and losing. It was at that moment I knew I needed to do something. So this year, I relay for those fighting, those who lost the battle and those continuing to fight each and every day. So, I will walk and I will remember and I will rejoice that for all who have lost the fight, there are those who are triumphing over it. That's why I relay.