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Celebrating Those
Touched By Cancer

Haley from Yale
Haley, a survivor



An important part of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life® is the celebration of nearly 11 million cancer survivors who are alive in the United States today. Survivors include anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer. Whether you are currently fighting your battle, or have been cancer-free for many years, you are a survivor. Relay For Life also celebrates the many caregivers who have provided countless hours of care and support.

Survivors, like Haley pictured at the right, inspire us to Relay. (Don't miss her story at the bottom of this page.) The growing number of survivors is proof that we are making great strides in the fight against cancer.

We invite all survivors and caregivers to join us at their local Relay. We want to celebrate you during the opening ceremony of Relay, and invite you to walk in a special Survivors' Lap. If you would like to register to participate in this year's Survivor Lap & activities, click on the 'Sign Up' button on the home page.

Survivors, as well as loved ones lost to cancer, are honored during the lighting of luminarias that shine to represent the hope for a future where cancer no longer threatens those we love. They glow in the dark, lighting the way for Relayers walking the track during the night.

More people are surviving cancer than ever before, and there are many reasons to celebrate. However, we know that more than 1.4 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and many will need a place to turn for inspiration, hope, and support.

The American Cancer Society is the place to turn for help. No matter where you are in your cancer journey, we offer free programs and services to help you through every step of the way. Call us anytime, day or night at 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345) or visit http://www.cancer.org/. Whether it is getting you the information you need to make treatment decisions and better understand your disease, helping you deal with the day-to-day challenges of living with cancer, such as transportation and insurance issues, or connecting you with others who have been through the cancer journey for emotional support, we can help.

The many programs and services we offer are made possible by donations raised from Relay For Life® events nationwide. To learn more about Relay and how it is changing lives, visit http://www.RelayForLife.org/.

Haley's Story of Survival

"On March 4, 2004, I was living the normal life of a Wisconsin teenager; skiing, going to the movies, hanging out with friends. On March 5, 2004, everything changed. Cancer.  Lymphoblastic Lymphoma.  No sugar coating -- no nice way to say it.  Okay, I’ll walk this road, I don’t get a choice.  My childhood didn’t prepare me for this. I found myself facing a new lifetime of unknowns and preparing for a new state of “normal.”
 Surprisingly, I found myself marveling at how lucky I was: lucky that I had such great friends and family to be my support system; lucky that I had developed drive, determination, and good study skills in previous years since I was going to put them all to the test now.
 My two-year course of treatment settled into an uneasy pattern of chemotherapy, spinal taps, and nasty side effects. My mom’s lifelong admonition to “Do things when you CAN do them” became my motto.  I learned how to recognize what is important, what is not important, and how to let go of worrying about the small daily annoyances that take up too much time.  This revelation took place a month after my initial diagnosis, when I was still at the starting gates in terms of treatment:
 My condition improved steadily, but my will and determination were tested once again when my lifelong friend, Sara, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease early in 2005.  The oncologist, OUR oncologist, ensured us that there was no known connection between our disease, but how could we believe it?  We had been in nursery school together, had countless tea parties and sleepovers, had both been Girl Scouts and camp counselors at that same camp?  And now we were destined to share our hospitalizations and our sad attempts at jokes with our oncologist, and nurses.  Share our use of “Big Rod”, our x-rated IV drip pole, share the joy in a clear PET scan and the devastation of a recurrent tumor. 
 Sara fought a good fight, but she lost the battle in June of 2006, two weeks after our graduation ceremony.  And I found myself back in that same state of resolve:  again I vowed to be the best person that I could be and to try to improve the world. Time will tell if I succeed, but if I don’t, I plan to die trying.
As a first year student at Yale University, I maintained my resolve by taking part in planning our Relay For Life, themed “Marga-relay-ville”.  I was asked to speak at the opening ceremonies as a survivor and longtime volunteer for the American Cancer Society.  Looking to the future I plan to continue volunteering for the ACS, Relay, and the “cancer community”, and will devote time to get more people involved.  I plan to go on to medical school after Yale and perhaps become an oncologist.
My past predicts my future:  I am proud to be a survivor."

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Resources

CRN check markDay-to-Day Help

Life is not easy for cancer patients and their loved ones; that's why we are here. We can answer questions about insurance, rides to treatment, wigs, and much more. We are here to help with day-to-day issues and to ease the burden of patients and caregivers. Call us, anytime, day or night, at 1-800-ACS (227)-2345.

CRN - heartEmotional Support

No one need face cancer alone. We are here to provide support every step of the way, from the time you schedule a cancer test through recovery and beyond. We know what you are going through and we can put you in touch with others who can speak from experience.

CRN - question markInformation

We can provide you with the most up-to-date information possible on any type of cancer, treatments and clinical trials. Search our Web site, http://www.cancer.org/,  for information on cancer and resources in your area, or call one of our experts at 1-800-ACS (227)-2345, day or night. They will give you their full attention and all the time you need. If they can't answer all of your questions, they will find the answers and get back to you in a timely manner.

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