Not a month goes by, it seems, that we don’t hear of someone new in our area who has been diagnosed with cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, there are expected to be an estimated more than 1.69 million new cancer cases in the United States in 2017 — about 836,000 new cases in males and about 853,000 in females.

Of that number, 30 percent of the cancer cases in women are expected to be breast cancer, followed by lung and bronchial cancer at 12 percent.

In the men’s cases, 19 percent are expected to be prostate cancer, followed by lung and bronchial cancer at 14 percent.

The organization states American men have a little less than a one in two chance of developing cancer at some time in their lifespan, while women have a one in three chance.

Having said that, we encourage all Freeborn County residents who have been affected by cancer to come out and support the annual Relay for Life at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds.

Whether you, yourself, have suffered from cancer, or you have cared for a friend or family member with it, this event is a great opportunity to come together as a community and support our area survivors and caregivers.

Relay for Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

Money raised from the events across the country go to support cancer research, patient care services, and education and prevention initiatives, to name a few.

The Relay for Life will go from 6 p.m. to midnight Friday. The event is open to the public, and entertainment, music, games, food and a silent auction are planned.

Show support to the community members battling cancer and help make a difference in the battle against cancer.