About the Relay For Life

What is the Relay For Life?
How the Relay For Life Came to Be
What do Your Relay Dollars Support?
Why we do the Relay For Life
The American Cancer Society's Mission Statement

What is the Relay For Life

The Relay For Life is a fun, team-based, overnight event. Eight or more friends, family members, or co-workers band together to form a Relay team. Each team submits a registration fee and each member tries to raise at least $100 to support American Cancer Society research, education, advocacy, and patient service programs.

As each Relay begins, teams pitch tents (many decorate their campsites!) and set up for the event. Then, cancer survivors from throughout our community begin the Relay by walking the survivors' victory lap around the track. After that, the rest of the team members start taking their turns walking around the track. A luminaria (candle lantern) ceremony is held at dusk. Lit candles are placed in bags bearing the names of people who have both won and lost their battles against cancer.

Throughout the evening and into the next day, everyone enjoys entertainment, fun, and camaraderie. Long before walkers have completed their last lap, new friends have been made, old friends have been hugged, and all hearts have been touched by the magic that is the Relay For Life.

The Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's "signature activity". That means that during a Relay event, you can get a taste of the wide variety of programs that the American Cancer Society offers, including:

• Learning more about cancer.
• Receiving tips for cancer prevention and staying healthy.
• Linking up with others who are advocating for legislation to benefit patients, families, and public health.
• Finding out about programs and services in your area that are geared especially for cancer patients and their families.

top of page

How the Relay For Life Came to Be

Dr. Gordon Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon, started Relay For Life in 1985. He ran and walked around the track at the University of Puget Sound's Baker Field for 24 hours, raising nearly $24,000 for the American Cancer Society. His dream of a relay-style team event was realized the following year, when 19 teams participated in the first "City of Destiny Classic!" This gave rise to the event that would become the original Relay For Life. This event is now held in hundreds of communities across the United States, raising millions for the battle against cancer each year.

top of page

What do Your Relay Dollars Support?

Cancer research.
Last year in New England, 134 cancer researchers were receiving grants totaling almost $38.4 million from the American Cancer Society. A total of 32 of their grantees have been honored with the Nobel Prize.

Cancer education.
By dialing 1-800-ACS-2345, or visiting www.cancer.org, you can receive answers to your questions about cancer and referrals to local resources. Through Tell A Friend, volunteers reach out to the women in their lives to spread the lifesaving message of receiving regular mammograms. I Can Cope is a free educational program providing information about cancer diagnosis and treatment to help participants cope with physical and emotional challenges.

Cancer advocacy.
The American Cancer Society works to make cancer a top priority for lawmakers at the federal, state, and local levels. Smoke-free communities, insurance coverage, protecting cancer survivors from discrimination, and access to health care are some of their most important concerns. The Smoke-Free New England initiative focuses on preventing cancer by keeping tobacco out of the hands of kids, strengthening local tobacco control programs, and expanding healthy, smoke-free environments for the public.

Services for cancer patients and their families.
Reach To Recovery matches women who have survived breast cancer with those who have been recently diagnosed, to offer information and support. Look Good...Feel Better workshops offer tips to make the most of one's personal appearance during cancer treatment. Road To Recovery provides transportation to and from outpatient cancer treatment appointments. Man To Man provides information and support for men affected by prostate cancer. We Can Weekends in Massachusetts and New Hampshire for annual retreats for cancer patients and their families. The Adventure Weekend, offered twice each year, is a retreat for women breast cancer survivors that helps them find strength through challenging activities in a supportive and nurturing environment. Camp Hope in North Scituate, Rhode Island, Camp Rising Sun in Colebrook, Connecticut, and Camp Rainbow in Ellsworth, Maine, all offer a week of fun each summer for kids with cancer. Hope Lodges in Massachusetts and Vermont provide temporary homes for cancer patients traveling far from home for treatment.

top of page

Why we do the Relay For Life

One out of every three Americans will get cancer in their lifetime. Unfortunately, nearly everyone is personally affected by cancer sooner or later. Thanks to the American Cancer Society, the survival rate of cancer patients has increased, but we need to continue to work until cancer is no longer considered a serious health problem. The Relay For Life gives everyone the chance to fight back and make a difference in the battle against cancer.

top of page

The American Cancer Society's Mission Statement

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

top of page

About Us | Get Involved | Survivors | Photos | Sponsors
Driving Directions | Team Captains | Team Members | Schedule
FAQ | Site Map | Contact Us | All Forms