Ferndale

Relay For Life set to debut in Ferndale

By Brian Louwers
C & G Staff Writer

Organizers hope to raise funds, awareness in fight against cancer

FERNDALE — The war against cancer already raging, the American Cancer Society and its local supporters are preparing to join the battle on a new front June 21-22, at Ferndale High School.

Since 1985, an army of volunteers and cancer survivors — together with their friends, caregivers, and loved ones who’ve lost someone close to them to the disease  — have joined forces in communities across the country to raise millions of dollars through the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life fundraiser.

On the eve of the first such event in Ferndale, organizers were optimistic about the Relay’s overall impact. They said the true story isn’t just about the dollars, but the awareness that will be raised.

“The whole idea with this first year is to just get the word out, get people talking and build the event for next year,” said Relay For Life of Ferndale chairperson Jim Tassoni. “I believe it’s an unbelievable opportunity for the community to come together to show their support.”

Like almost everyone, Tassoni has his own story about cancer to share, one he said ultimately led him to a Relay For Life event in West Bloomfield.

“My mother’s best friend, she was almost like a second mother to me. She contracted cancer and died at 46,” Tassoni said. “I just saw the emotional toll. My mother, almost every day she talked to this woman. They were best friends, like sisters. For about nine months she lived with this aggressive form of cancer. They went through the disease together.”

A few weeks after his friend’s death, Tassoni was drawn to Relay For Life.

“I just saw how powerful Relay can be for people who are just dealing with all of these emotions, to have that support system there. There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Tassoni said.

Beth Collins, a community representative with the American Cancer Society’s Metro Detroit Office, in Southfield, was tasked with putting together the Relay For Life of Ferndale.

Collins said Relay For Life, now the group’s signature fundraiser, takes place in more than 50 communities throughout Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties alone. Relays are held in more than 4,800 cities nationwide, and through the International Relay For Life, in more than 600 cities in 24 countries outside of the United States.

“Relay For Life is not only about people coming together to raise funds to fight cancer, it’s to celebrate survivors and to remember those who we’ve lost to the disease,” Collins said. “And, it’s to offer support to those currently fighting the disease. It’s basically to fight back by not only raising funds to fight (cancer) but to raise awareness about things like screenings.”

Collins said perhaps the most emotional parts of an emotional day at the Relay — the events take place over 24 hours, from 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. on Sunday — are the survivor lap, where cancer survivors and their caregivers walk alone, and the stirring “luminaria” ceremony, where decorated paper bags are illuminated in remembrance of those taken by cancer.

“We really want to extend a special invitation to any survivors in the area or surrounding areas to help us by coming out to kick off the Relay For Life of Ferndale,” Collins added. “It’s our time to celebrate them.”

Relay For Life funds are generally raised through fundraising “teams,” the members of which take turns walking in the relay. While the fundraising efforts of some teams are undoubtedly more elaborate than others, anyone is welcome to participate in the relay as an individual or a team member.

Collins and Tassoni said it is definitely not too late to contribute to this year’s event, which will feature a variety of activities, fun and entertainment, including live bands and an Oakland County Sheriff’s Department K-9 demonstration.

“We’ll be taking donations and registrations the day of the event,” Tassoni said. “And, we won’t close the books on the event until August.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Brian Louwers at brianlouwers@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1089.