Relay For Life – The biggest event to make the biggest difference

Major Don Saunders of the 22 Wing of the North Bay Canadian Forces Base, spoke to an emotional crowd at the launch of the 11th annual Relay For Life, held at Scotiabank, Northgate Square. Photo by Devin Size

The annual fundraiser for cancer research is back once again – the Relay For Life. The registration launch for the 11th annual Relay for Life took place Wednesday afternoon in front of Scotiabank at the North Gate Shopping Centre. The Canadian Cancer Society invites everyone to attend June 3-4 at the Canadian Forces Base North Bay Athletic Field.

Major Don Saunders of the 22 Wing of the CFB is excited to be part of the fundraiser once again this year.

“It’s the 11th year in a row we host the event at our field,” explains Saunders. “We provide infrastructure as well to help facilitate the event, and we’re very, very happy to be able to provide that support. There’s a significant number of not only volunteers across the (22) Wing, but we have teams from all organizations across the Wing, that will be participating in the Relay.”

This year’s event’s theme is “Field of Dreams.” The dream is to make cancer history. The 2011 Relay For Life introduced Peter Chirico as the Honorary Survivor, who is proud to stand up to fight back after his own, personal battle with colon cancer.

“I am lucky,” explains Chirico, “and pleased, to be the Honorary Survivor. Hopefully I can draw as much attention as possible, to the fact that Relay For Life is raising money to provide those necessary dollars for the ultimate cure for cancer. One day in the future cancer will be erased.”

Chirico says he and his family will be entering their team into the 12-hour event.

“My family is who I will be with at the event. Which is only fitting, because my wife, my children, my brothers and sisters, they were certainly the people that got me through this (battle).”

Northgate Shopping Centre Marketing Director, Sylvie Lord, was there to present a $1,500 donation cheque to the CCS. Manager at the CCS, Barb Spencer, says they are happy to see so much support, as there is an ever-growing need for research funding, as diagnosis’ are rising.

“Each year we have more people surviving cancer, which is amazing,” said Spencer. “So certainly the demand for research dollars does go up. We offer services right here in the community, such as transportation for patients to their appointments. We always try to achieve more, again because the need continues to grow. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s because we’re diagnosing more cases earlier, so they’re getting treatment faster, and we’re seeing the survival numbers going up.”

This event is to celebrate survivors, remember those we lost, and to fight back against the disease to make it history. Teams who wish to participate can register at www.relayforlife.ca.