Relaying for cancer

Great strides are being made to erase the disease.

There are many more cancer survivors who are living to tell their stories.

I am one of them.

It has been 15 years since my oncologist came into my hospital room and announced that I was cancer free.

That, after months of chemotherapy treatment and two major surgeries for advanced ovarian cancer.

I was one of the few to survive that type of deadly cancer.

The aggressive chemo treatments were brutal and left me so weak I could not function. Had it not been for the love of my family and friends, and a supportive couple who "took me in", I don't think I would have survived. One of those friends encouraged me over and over again and told me that statistics were only statistics and that only God had the answers.

Cancer first reared its ugly head in my family after my siblings and I were grown and gone from home.

My father died of lung cancer in August 1977 after a three year battle.

Years later, my younger brother was diagnosed with lung cancer too. Last month he reached that celebrated five year cancer free goal. His Memphis oncologist told him he was doing fine and that he needn't return for a checkup for one year. That was reason for celebration.

My sister learned she had breast cancer after she had a routine yearly mammogram. She was treated with radiation and has been cancer free for almost seven years. Another success story.

For years I've been treated for skin cancers. This winter, I had a surgery on my face and one on my right hand. Last month I had laser surgery on seven precancerous spots on my face. The damage was caused by overexposure to the sun when I was a young adult, going boating, water skiing, sunbathing and swimming at the lakes.

At the time, I was ignorant of the damage that the sun's ultraviolet rays could do to the body. I seldom used sunscreen or tried to prevent sunburns. I am now paying for that ignorance.

My surgeon told me I could expect more precancerous lesions to crop up. That's the way of skin cancers, he said. "You just have to stay ahead of them and get them treated," he cautioned.

I have a word of advice too. If you are facing cancer, go to an oncologist that specializes in your particular cancer. They can give you the best treatment. I believe that my cancer gynecologist saved my life by prescribing the treatments that I needed.

Currently the Clay County Relay for Life has many fundraising efforts underway with the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.

The annual Relay for LIfe will be held Saturday, April 24, at Heritage Park in Piggott.

Susie Bowman is chairman of the event.

One fund raiser is a drawing for an authentic autographed Charlie Daniels fiddle donated by Jerry and Chris Lewis. An anonymous donor from Dexter, Mo., gave the fiddle to the Lewis's as a fundraiser for this year's Relay. Anyone wanting more information may contact Bowman at 598-3457.

Other fundraisers include Relay for Life cookbooks currently on sale for $10 each.

"Fight Like a Girl" t-shirts are on sale and so are luminaries in memory of deceased or to honor cancer survivors.

Other fundraisers by Relay teams are ongoing leading up to Relay day.

So bring out the walking shoes. It's relay time again.