With cancer striking one in every two men, and one in every three women, many lives are impacted by the disease – but the
Relay for Life movement is fighting back! The Relay for Life of Clearwater theme is “Make Cancer History.”
Relay for Life of Clearwater event will take place in Coachman Park Friday, May 13
th and Saturday, May 14
th beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Fast Facts:
- Volunteer driven teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their camp sites during the 24 hour Relay for Life event.
- Over 30 participating teams in this year’s Relay for Life of Clearwater have signed up to participate in the event, including:
o Starbucks
o Clearwater High School Key Club
o Target
o Clearwater Police Department
o Macy’s
o City of Clearwater
- Relay for Life of Clearwater is sponsored by Dr. Cesar Lara M.D. Center for VITAS innovative Hospice Care
- Relay for Life is the largest fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Because of Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society has raised over $3 billion to fund cancer research activities.
- A silent auction will be held on site at the event to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.
- Blues band Red Hot ‘N’ Rollin’ will play during the opening of Relay for Life of Clearwater.
- Relay for Life will honor cancer survivors through a Survivor’s Dinner provided by Crabby Bill’s and a survivor’s lap.
- A luminaria ceremony will be held to honor those who have lost their lives to cancer.
- Relay for Life raises awareness of cancer and the importance of cancer screening – in an attempt to prevent preventable deaths from occurring.
- According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the second most common form of death in the United States, accounting for one out of four deaths.
- 569,490 Americans are expected to die from cancer this year alone, totaling more than 1,500 people a day.
- The Relay for Life movement began in May of 1985 when surgeon Dr. Gordon Klatt honored his patients by walking around the track at the University of Puget Sound for 24 hours, symbolizing how cancer never sleeps. Friends paid $25 to walk or run with Dr. Klatt for 30 minutes throughout the night, and he ended up raising $27,000 for cancer research.
More information can be found on the Relay for Life of Clearwater website
www.relayforlife.org/clearwaterfl
>
About Relay For Life:
Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event, and is driven by volunteers. Relay for Life began in 1985 when colorectal surgeon Dr. Gordon Klatt decided to raise money for the American Cancer Society in honor of his patients by walking around a track in a 24 hour period. Today, Relay For Life events are held in more than 5,000 communities spanning 21 countries and have raised an estimated over $3 billion. All proceeds go to funding cancer research with the aims of stomping out the disease.
In addition to fundraising, the event also raises awareness of the disease and furthers the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives by helping people stay well, helping them get well, and by finding cures and fighting back.
More information on Relay for Life is available at
www.relayforlife.org.
About the American Cancer Society:
The American Cancer Society is a 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, and advocacy.
The American Cancer Society is the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion to date. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have cancer will be celebrating their next birthday.
To learn more about the American Cancer Society, visit
www.cancer.org.
###
