A quest to find a cure for cancer...

Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Cancer survivors and caregivers release balloons in the middle of Carl Miller Park on Saturday. Each year Relay for Life participants release the balloons to remember those who have died from cancer, honor those that have survived cancer and give thanks those who have been caregivers to cancer victims.

by Tim Bondy

Mountain Home News

The Relay for Life event kicked off under blue skies and perfect weather condition Saturday morning at Carl Miller Park in Mountain Home.

This year's Relay for Life started at 10 a.m. in Carl Miller Park to make it more convenient to for people to attend. "Sweep away cancer" was a motto for some walkers as they carried brooms with them around the track.

The American Cancer Society sponsored the annual fund raiser with the mission to not only raise awareness of the disease but with a goal to end cancer forever.

The American Legion Post 26 Honor Guard opened the event with "raising of the colors" during the playing of the National Anthem. Mayor Tom Rist then welcomed and thanked all participants, cancer survivors and caregivers for attending the relay.

This year's event was changed up to make it more convenient for all the participants, organizers said. In previous years, it began during the evening hours and continued throughout the night.

Saturday's event began at 10 a.m. and was scheduled to end after the luminary ceremony around 10 p.m.

"I've been to everyone of these "relays" and bringing it up to Carl Miller from Eastside (Park) should make it more visible and enjoyable for everyone," Rist said while discussing this year's changes just before the event kicked off.

The Survivors' Lap got the walking part of the event started. Dressed in purple shirts, the cancer survivors walked around the track in a counter-clockwise direction while the caregivers, dressed in gray shirts walked in a clockwise direction.

After the two groups met in the middle, they gathered back into the park to release their helium-filled purple, white and blue balloons to finish the symbolic lap.

This year's event featured 17 different teams, who all took part in the relay. The teams were just as varied as the people walking in the relay. They ranged from a small group of loosely affiliated individuals to large and boisterous teams of more than 20 members.

The "Brooklyn's Warriors" were there to honor and support Brooklyn McKerchie, a nine year old stricken with leukemia.

"Brooklyn is in remission now, and she doing pretty good but likes to stay out of the spotlight," said Brooklyn's mother, Holly McKerchie.

"This team is made up of four generations... from me at 72 (years old) down to that one year old waddling over there near the relay path," Brooklyn's great-great grandmother said.

"We even had these bright orange shirt made this year. These are pictures of all the members of last year's team," Brooklyn's grandmother said while pointing to the intricate graphics on the shirt.

With the relay team members taking turns walking around the perimeter of Carl Miller Park, the inner park was lined with team and sponsors booths offering treats, food and even mini-horse rides and games for Relay for Life donations.

The "We're Stronger Together" team from Mountain Home was so organized, they even formed a three-person committee to run their 17-member Relay for Life team.

"We're just a bunch of friends who have a common concern about all the people with cancer in our community," Jackie March said while holding up one of the many caramel apples available for donations.

The "Purple Dream Team" consisting of about 10 members from a local health and hospice care center offered cupcakes and other baked goods to raise money for cancer awareness and its victims.

"We see a lot of people... clients in our line of work with cancer and we're out here because we care," said Reba Bailey, a member of the Purple Dream Team.

"I'm here because I want to help cancer patients transition through life in the most gracious way possible and I think this will help," Joanne Shawver added wile pointing over her shoulders at the walkers.

There were many long time cancer survivors in attendance at Saturday's event with just as many gray-shirted caregivers walking with them in the park.

Boni and Tom Potter were stationed in Okinawa, Japan, when Boni was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1992. They were told there was only a 2 percent survival rate from that particular form of cancer.

"She went into surgery at 9 a.m. and it wasn't over until about 5 or 6 p.m. The doctor said he never wanted to that again," Tom Potter said while remembering his wife's surgery from more than 20 years ago.

The oldest cancer survivor in attendance at the event had a lot of support at Carl Miller Park. At 90 years old, Mary Amos was sitting in the "Red Hat Society" booth with four other "cinnamon bear" supporter.

"I was diagnosed with cancer about four years ago. What is even rougher, my daughter was diagnosed with it five years ago," Amos said while pointing out her daughter sitting in the shade near another booth.

"I tell you, she can still rock a pair of stiletto heels, and I got the pictures to prove it," Carol Litz said.

Despite sunny skies earlier in the day, the weather didn't hold with the skies clouding up in the late afternoon. Thunderstorms developed and moved over Mountain Home around 8 p.m.

The skies opened up and rain poured down, ending the luminary ceremony and the Relay for Life event.

"This community is just so incredible. People just broke down the event and cleaned up without even being asked," said Jan Landon, Relay for Life event lead, as she discussed how unexpectedly this year's event ended.

Even though the Relay for Life event is over for this year, donations are still being accepted by local organizers.

For more information, call toll free 1-800-227-2345 or go online to www.cancer.org.