Tri-City Tribune News

Birthdays celebrated by area people with cancer
Kick-off held at Cozad

     Cancer survivors attending the 16th Annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Dawson County kickoff have celebrated a total of 83 more birthdays since their diagnosis and the crowd cheered them on during a special survivors walk last week at Chipper Hall in Cozad. Eleven teams picked up registration forms and team packets to sign up for this year's event on July 30th-31st at Kirkpatrick Memorial Park in Lexington.
     Participants enjoyed the festive atmosphere at this year's "Official Sponsor of Birthdays" Relay celebration with help from the Cozad High School band. Guest speakers included Stacey Schoneman of Lexington, who heard the words "you have cervical cancer" only a month ago; and Hero of Hope Pam Ackerman of Lexington who donned her Relay For Life hard hat to encourage local "RFL workers" to get the job done in 2010.
     "Their messages of fighting cancer definitely inspired us to work harder this year in our effort to find a cure," said Deb Tvrdy of Cozad, event co-chair. "Our mission this year is to help the American Cancer Society help people stay well, get well, find cures and fight back."
     Last year in Nebraska, the American Cancer Society continues to provide lifesaving help with grassroots support from Relay For Life, according to American Cancer Society staff partners Melissa Kruger of North Platte and Deb Seaton of Omaha, who attended the kickoff.
     "We help you take steps to prevent cancer or find it at its earliest, most treatable stage.
     We accomplish that by ensuring that we partner with the media to spread our message," said Seaton. "Last year in Nebraska, over 111 million media impressions where seen by your communities. Our mission was the subject of over 680 news stories in Nebraska."
     She added, " We're in your corner around the clock to help you make decisions and guide you through a cancer diagnosis. Last year in Nebraska, we served over 4,700 unique patients. That is more patients than we have ever served in one year. Those patients represent 40 percent of patients within 12 months of their diagnosis."
     In addition, ACS volunteers provided over 1400 roundtrip rides to patients through our Road to Recovery program. ACS in Nebraska also provided over 650 patients with gas cards and provided over 250 free nights of lodging for patients that had to travel away from home to receive treatment.
     ACS funds research that helps us better understand, prevent, and cure cancer, said Kruger. "Last year we funded our 43rd and 44th Nobel Prize winners, we are the largest funder of cancer research. This means real cures for real people. More people are surviving cancer than ever before."
     She emphasized how the individuals attending make a difference in the fight against cancer.
     "We do what we do best, what Nebraskans do as second nature, we fight back," Kruger said. "We work with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight."
     Last year, over 46,000 Nebraskans in 52 communities took up the fight against cancer by participating in Relay For Life and raised over $3.2 million. They gave over 6,000 survivors the opportunity to celebrate another birthday.
"And because of money you are raising, we will be able to help more patients, fund more researchers and continue to celebrate more birthdays!" Kruger said.
The fundraising goal in 2010 stands at $90,000. More than $4,500 already has been received with three Sword of Hope corporate sponsors donating early this season. Homestead Bank in Cozad sent a donation of $1,000 to the kickoff with team captain Tonya Weatherly. Other Sword of Hope corporate sponsors are Wal-Mart of Lexington and Tenneco of Cozad.
     The kick-off luminaria ceremony honored many of the cancer survivors and remembered those lost to cancer. Everyone participated in a lap around the room as the special luminaria candles shined in the darkness and a list of names honored on 2009 luminaria scrolled slowing on a screen.
     Concluding the evening, clowns recruited several committee members and youngsters to participate in "The 12 Months of Relay" skit.
     Team captains can still sign up for the 2010 Relay For Life by contacting Christina Wagener of Lexington, registration chairperson, at 308-325-5233; or by registering on-line at www. relayforlife.org/dawsoncone
     The next opportunity to sign up will be at Relay Team Captain University on Saturday, April 17th, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m., at the Dawson County Extension Office on the fairgrounds in Lexington. All team captains who turn in registrations and commitment fees at this meeting will receive a Relay prize.
     To learn more about Relay For Life visit www.RelayForLife.org. To the most up-to-date information on cancer call 1.800.ACS.2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer.

TOP NEWS STORIES:

Haake, Hecox are honored as Students of Month

Annual Expo Fair is planned at Dawson Co. Fairgrounds

1-and-6 improvement plan OK'd for Cozad

'Spring Clean-up' planned for citizens in Cozad area

Cozad will host Prayer Service Friday at 2 p.m.

Birthdays celebrated by area people with cancer