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A man watched sitting on the bench of his walker as people with cancer, cancer survivors and their friends and family slowly filed between the unlit luminaries for the first lap of the 2009 Relay for Life — a 12-hour event to reflect on those affected by cancer. Once the initial pack had moved down the path, the man slowly walked trail.

“It’s hard to see that many people affected by cancer, but it’s great to see the hope that there’s that many survivors,” said Jill Johnson, a survivor of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and former honorary co-chairwoman.

Seven

The opening ceremony for the seventh Freeborn County Relay for Life began around 6 p.m. with speeches by honorary caregiver Mary Bartusek, honorary youth co-chairman Marques Kenison, honorary adult co-chairwoman Joey Honsey and Mayo Clinic doctor Kaustubh Data.

In her speech, Honsey recalled agreeing to be part of a study. She said that gave her a job during her fight with cancer: She would help others with cancer by growing her tumor so doctors could study the tumor after removing it.

127,000

Co-chairman Andy Johnson said 80 percent of the nearly $127,000 raised at Relay for Life stays in the county. Some of the money is used to ensure no one is turned away from cancer screening, he said. Some of the money goes to education, and the remaining 20 percent goes to the American Cancer Society, Andy said.

Donations will still be accepted until the end of August.

400

After the opening ceremonies, cancer survivors wearing purple T-shirts and people with cancer were joined by family and friends on the first lap around the track.

Jill, who volunteered to help register cancer survivors, said nearly 400 cancer survivors registered for the Relay for Life.

Jill said she likes to see people recognize the cancer survivors.

“I think it’s just such an inspirational night to feel the love and the hope in our community,” Jill said.

A few survivors were driven around the track in golf carts, and other survivors used walkers to make their way around the track for the first lap. A small dog accompanied one woman who used a walker, and the dog watched her contently from a basket attached to the walker.

Prostrate cancer survivor Carl Paulson wasn’t able to walk the first lap due to arthritis in his back, but he sat on a picnic table and watched his granddaughters play on the inflatable games. His wife, Barbara, a breast cancer survivor walked with their daughter.

“There’s a lot of people I know – more than there should be,” Paulson said. “We need to get a cure for this thing.”

Around 8:45 p.m., Russell and Ruth Furland walked beside the purple luminaries for each registered survivor. Russell is a colon cancer survivor and Ruth is a breast cancer survivor.

Seeing other survivors was a highlight for the family, and they said they saw nurses who treated them at the hospital.

6,300

Around 9:10 p.m. Friday, families paused to light luminaries honoring family members affected by cancer.

Cheryl Cogley lit a few of the 6,300 luminaries for her sister-in-law Betty Stucke and father-in-law John Cogley, who both died of cancer. She also lit a luminary for her mother, Lucy Stucke, a cancer survivor. Cogley bent down to photograph the luminaries shortly after they were lit.

Cheryl Cogley has been coming to the relay for about five years, she said.

“When you look at it, it reminds you everyone has had people that have touched their lives that have had a battle with cancer,” said Cogley, who was at the event with a team from the Freeborn County Shopper.

The lit luminaries serve as a sign of how many people have been affected by cancer, and Cogley said she’ll often see people at the event she did not realize had cancer. At the event, Cogley said she’ll talk with survivors to see how they are doing.

“I think people get quieter as they light the luminaries,” Cogley said.

“It really gives you a visual effect of the enormity of the whole event,” she added.

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Sixty-two teams signed up to walk during the 12-hour event. The teams were spread over 65 campsites, where many teams grilled, ordered pizza and rested on lawn chairs. The teams competed for best decorated campsite.

The best campsite won free pizza to be delivered at midnight. One team filled their site with pink flamingoes. The team for Nancy VanderWaerdt, a State Farm Insurance agent, partnered with Chateau Raceway and used a racing theme that included a racecar.

$577

The State Farm team aimed to raise $2,000, but a few team members dropped out.

However, the 16 member team still met their goal, thanks to a surprise from two local confirmation students.

Kendra Davis and Sam Johnson raised $577 by making and selling blankets and cookies. The two donated the money to the team to help them surpass their goal.

Tricia Kast and Janice Schroader’s brother Steve VanRyswyk died of cancer. Schroader’s husband, Scott, is a cancer survivor of 11 years, and he walked the survivor lap for the first time Friday.

“Hopefully, someday there will be a cure for cancer,” said Schroader. “Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It gets from little tiny babies to every season of your life.”

Had Scott’s cancer been caught later, Schroader said he would likely not be alive today. Steve contracted a rare form of cancer, and Schroader said it took a long time to diagnose, and his biopsy results were once lost in the mail.

16

Team members from the Cancer Support Group team sold 16 different colored bracelets, necklaces, anklets and earrings at a booth on the east end of the walking path. Each color represents a different form of cancer, and the jewelry is handmade by two team members.

For example, pink beads represent breast cancer and green beads represent lymphoma. Multicolored jewelry was also available.

Breast cancer survivor Suzanne Miller said Relay for Life is a time to see how many people’s lives have been affected by cancer. She also said she likes the camaraderie between the participants.

Miller still occasionally meets with the support group, and she said she likes listening to the speakers.

“Everybody’s been through it at those meetings,” Miller said. “They know how you’re feeling, what you’re going through. If you had chemo and radiation, if you’re losing your hair — whatever — they’ve been there.”

The meetings served as a way to cope with the unknowns of being diagnosed with cancer, Miller said. She said the people at the meetings are like a second family.

Sally Benson also still goes for the friendship, but she said the information is a key part of the groups.

“It was a place that you can go and talk, be safe. If you felt bad, you could cry. You could laugh and they’d laugh or cry with you. And you got a lot of information. Information is power, I think,” Benson said.

While the two can now pass on information from their experiences, they continue to learn about new treatments.

Benson said the jewelry booth typically raises $4,000 to $6,000.

First

This was the first year the Schuhmacher family formed a team of about 20 to honor LaVern and Harold Schuhmacher.

Nate Schuhmacher, a graphic designer from Waterloo, Iowa, designed white T-shirts for the team remembering his grandfather LaVern, who died about 10 years ago of a rare form of cancer.

The shirts said “Get your walking Schus on” and a photograph of LaVern is on the back.

Harold, Nate’s father, is a melanoma survivor.

300

A hotel stay in Minneapolis sold for $300 and was one of the most popular items at the silent auction Friday, said Tiffany Syverson.

Ten guitars signed by fair performers like Kellie Pickler sold for about $100 each, said Bob Syverson.

About 200 items were in the silent auction, which typically earns $13,000 to $15,000, Bob said.

Other items included a lawn mower, sporting event tickets, paintings and photographs.

All the items are donated by local businesses, relay teams and individuals.

75

About 75 people volunteered to organize and run the 2009 relay for life. The event ended around 6 a.m. Saturday with a lap led by the 30 committee members.

This was a challenging Relay for Life for Andy and his wife, Sara, co-chairwoman, because the two recently moved to Mankato, where Andy is a police officer.

Sara’s close friend Lindsey Diemer was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma shortly after Diemer’s wedding and died soon after. Andy said that inspired him and Sara to get involved.

Andy said about 100 people walked the final lap.