This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

Curing Cancer One Step at a Time

Fundraising for the Scotts Valley Relay for Life has officially begun.

Cancer is all too prevalent. Most people have been affected by the disease in some way or another, either with their own personal battles or the battle of someone they know.

The Scotts Valley Relay for Life is an event that is designed to help in the fight against cancer. And as of Friday night, the fundraising season for the May Relay is officially under way.

“This is just a time for everyone to get together and get to know each other,” survivor coordinator Lynda Hall said at the kick-off event at Bruno’s Barbeque.

Find out what's happening in Scotts Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Getting involved is easy. Relay teams form, and each participant must raise a minimum of $100. According to Hall, 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Then, on May 21, the day of the event, teams will converge on Sky Park in Scotts Valley for a full 24-hour relay extravaganza.

Find out what's happening in Scotts Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“The whole event is like a special celebration for the survivors,” Hall explained. “They get their own registration, a special welcome packet and a survivor shirt that only they wear.”

“One of the best parts is when the survivors walk the first lap, and everyone is clapping for them. It’s awesome,” event chairwoman Jackie Maurer said.

The day will also be filled with other fun and activity. There will be a kid’s area, live acoustic music and a luminary ceremony.

“This year, we are putting canned food inside the bag instead of sand,” Hall said. “We hope to collect 2,000 cans for the Valley Churches United Mission.”

So far, there are 92 people registered for the relay, but according to Maurer, they expect to double that.

Maurer has been involved with Relay for Life in Santa Cruz for the past 11 years. This is the second year she has brought the event to Scotts Valley.

“I first got involved, because of my son. He had cancer when he was 17,” she explained. “It’s like my life’s passion. Just too many people I know have died. So I want to be a part of finding a cure.”

Maurer’s son, Jimmy, fortunately survived his battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Now, at the age of 29, he reflects on the illness and the profound way it has affected his life.

“I think it dramatically altered my view and outlook on everything,” he said. “I used to be kind of introverted, but after that, I just kind of went, ‘Look, the world is my oyster, and it’s all good.’”

He is proud of his mother’s efforts.

“It’s exciting to see everybody come together for a really good cause,” he said.

To learn more about the Scotts Valley Relay for Life, visit relayforlife.org/scottsvalleyca or call 831-335-7109.  

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Scotts Valley