×
×
homepage logo
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE

Annual Relay For Life draws crowd, outpouring

By Mathew Plamondon - Staff Writer | Jun 23, 2019

NASHUA – Cancer survivors and their supporters took their fight against the disease to Nashua High School North Saturday for the annual Relay For Life event, where participants spent 12-straight hours on the high school’s track walking mile after mile to participate the the annual event, which benefits the American Cancer Society.

With more than 60 cancer survivors present, many of those who – along with their caregivers, supporters, friends and family – made every step count in the fight against the many different types of cancer.

With an event that started at 11 a.m. and spanned a whole half day, ending at 11 p.m., this year, more than 17 teams registered to participate. As Relay started, more than $57,000 had been raised.

Nashua’s Relay For Life will continue to raise money for the American Cancer Society through August.

Strong support from the community continues to help aide the Relay, something that remains evident to organizers of the event. Tracy McGraw, the event’s head organizer, said she sees support through local businesses and donations, such as providing space for the organization.

“I think a lot of people in Nashua understand that we have a lot of survivors,” McGraw said. “And, I think that there is a lot of people that are affected by it, so this is something that is extremely special to the community.”

Hudson resident Patty Regan, a five-year survivor of breast cancer, said the Relay serves as a way to help strengthen the community. While participating in the event for the third year in a row, Regan said she sees a growing support from the community.

“It felt like there are many more people this year,” Regan said. “It’s great, it’s great to see all ages and all different types of cancer.”

Tina Stevens, another cancer survivor from Hudson who participated in the Relay alongside Regan Saturday, said the event is never short on emotions.

“It’s so heartwarming. It’s touching and very emotional every year,” Stevens said. “Especially the opening ceremony. I tear up every year. It puts it in perspective.”

During the opening ceremony, Fabiania Marie, a 14-year metastatic breast cancer survivor, spoke of her struggle being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 27, four years into her marriage with a 1-year-old child.

With a message to survivors and Relay participants that stressed the importance of gratitude, she referenced an important moment when a complete stranger inspired her in her fight.

“A woman leaned over next to me, a woman I had no idea who she was,” Marie, who in 2016 published an award-winning book “Fabulously Fighting – Living with Cancer Through Love, Laughter and Honesty,” said, “she leaned over and whispered in my ear, ‘My darling 99% of this is going to be your mental fight.’ Those words have stuck with me for 14 years.”

Mathew Plamondon can be reached at 594-1244 or mplamondon@nashuatelegraph.com, @telegraph_MatP.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Interests
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *