Relay for Life (RFL) is a chance for communities to get together to support, celebrate and remember our loved ones who have or have had cancer. RFL nationwide is the biggest fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. In 2013, the “Providing A Free Place To Stay” program saved $38 million in lodging costs, the “Road to Recovery” program provided 380,000 received rides to treatment, and the 24/7 hotline fielded calls from nearly 45 million people. Those are just a few of the programs ACS provides for patients. Please join us at Mercer Stadium, 16403 Lexington, Sugar Land, TX to celebrate ONE MORE BIRTHDAY!
Every Relay starts with the Survivor lap. This is the lap exclusively for survivors, those going through treatment, those who are cancer free or those who have just found out they have cancer. It is so wonderful to see all the survivors in their purple shirts taking that lap. Last couple of years I took that lap. Since mine was skin cancer I have a much higher risk of developing it again. Use your sunscreen!! Thanks to the work of ACS the survival rate for cancer patients is vastly improved.
After that we start walking! Usually everyone at Relay will take the next few laps and then things will settle down to just a few people from each team on the field at a time.
As we take our laps in the early part of the evening we are able to stop at the different team booths to play games and shop. Each team is invited to have fundraisers at their campsites during the event. It is always fun to see the creative ideas people come up with. For the Mommas in Pajamas we are, of course, selling tickets for our quilt drawing. We also collect used cell phones to recycle (for money) and we sell novelty pillowcases that we make all year long. Other teams may sell glow sticks or have ring toss games. You never know what you will find. It is a great way to spend a family evening while supporting a great cause. Along with the fun fundraiser the teams are having our entertainment/activities Lead has planned lots of races, games and contest for everyone to participate. Come in your favorite (purple) warrior costume and participate in our costume contest.
My favorite part of the evening is always the lighting of the luminaries. Luminaria are paper bags or lanterns that contributors purchase for $10, $20, $25 or $100 and dedicate to a loved one we are supporting, celebrating or remembering. Each bag or lantern has a candle in it that, once it is lighted, will burn until the event is over. As dark approaches, all the candles in the bags are lighted and everyone is invited to gather at the stage. Once everyone is together and the luminaries are lighted we have a survivor or caregiver speak about their experience or read a poem. The last couple of years we have had a video presentation of photos that had been provided by Relay participates of their loved ones whom we are supporting, honoring, and remembering. Please feel free to send a picture of your loved one(s) to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in jpg, png or tiff format and I will include it in our video presentation. After it played through the first time we were supposed to take a quiet lap. However, almost no one moves as we watched the video repeat several times. We do finally take our usual quiet lap while we reflected on those we have lost and those we are praying for who are fighting cancer. The rest of the evening is always a celebration of those who have won the battle. And time to fight back!
Our entertainment Lead keeps us energized with all kinds of fun activites. This year’s activities include Cancer Fued, three legged race, water balloon toss, hula hoop contest, line dancing and even a car race with cars made of boxes. We were entertained through the evening with a professional DJ, dancers, bands and much more. There was plenty of activity to keep us awake and moving. As always our entertainment Lead has lots of fun activities planned all day and evening.
To share a little bit of that experience with you, David has posted pictures of prior years' events here at this web site. They are all listed on the main menu. Please enjoy the pictures. As you can see we have a good time.
We will keep least one team member on the track at all times. It is somewhat boring to see the same landscape repeatedly, but as I walk I read the names on all the luminaries. Some names appear many times while others just a few times. The walk gives one time to reflect on the event and the bigger issues with this disease. Between laps we visit with each other or other teams, eat and just generally enjoy this unusual event.
We start our afternoon full of energy but as the twelve hours roll along we are often on the field without a teammate and it get harder to stay awake and continue putting one foot in front of the other. I miss doing the walk from 6PM to 6AM. There was nothing like seeing the sun come up and knowing we made it through the night. Even still when midnight arrives we still have the knowledge that we have succeeded in our goal to raise money, awareness, to honor those we have lost and celebrate those who have won the battle. We are fighting the battle and winning. It is an amazing feeling!