For over 10 million Americans their diagnosis of cancer was a life changing moment. It is a disease that strikes fear and for many years people did not say it out loud. People whispered about having the “C” word. Today cancer survivors stand tall. According to the American Cancer Society since 1981 the five-year survival rate from cancer has risen from 41% to 66%. One of the biggest risk factors for developing cancer is age. Seniors have a much greater risk of developing cancer than any other age group.

Two breast cancer survivors Jane Mendicino, 73 of Essex, and Mary Navin, 61 of South Burlington, have celebrated their fight against cancer at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. According to Deb Jorschick, Development Community Executive for the Society, “Relay is the biggest community event we have in the entire state. It provides a place for people to go when thy have lost someone to cancer, provides them a way to heal and preserve their memory.” Not only does Relay pay tribute to those who have lost their battle to cancer but also it is a place to honor and pay tribute to survivors. Last year 247 survivors attended the Survivor Dinner at the Relay for Life of Chittenden County.

For Navin, co-chair of the survivor’s dinner and cancer survivor, Relay is an emotional event. Each year survivors kick off Relay by taking the first lap around the track. For Navin she still gets choked up when she talks about her first survivor lap 5 year ago. Navin stated that she couldn’t “explain the experience, seeing the people who have supported you cheer you on.” For her Relay is a “wonderful way to connect to people, to connect to other survivors because no one knows what you have gone through unless they have to.” Luckily Navin was diagnosed early during a standard mammogram. Navin encourages others to be screened. She is aware that some people are scared to find out if they have cancer but “with screenings and taking care of yourself, a lot of it is curable.” Navin does not subscribe to the theory that “there is never going to be a cure for cancer & age.” Medical advances have produced a record number of cancer survivors. For Navin Relay is “empowering and uplifting.”

For Mendicini she always expected to get cancer, it ran deep in her family. This two time cancer survivor is a proud volunteer for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major public health problem through voter education and issue campaigns aimed at influencing candidates and lawmakers to support laws and policies that will help people fight cancer. As Mendicino has aged she has become aware of a number of cancer survivors in her world, as she said “a lot of my friends have it, lot of my friends have become survivors.” Mendicino thinks it is important for survivors to become involved with ACS CAN and Relay to support each other and to be aware of what’s going on. Relay for Life offers information on cancer screenings. For Mendicino, Relay is emotional and when asked what she thinks about when she walks around the track without a beat she exclaimed, “ I think thank god I am alive.”

Over 3,500 Vermonters will be diagnosed with cancer this year and over 1,100 will lose their battle with cancer. Cancer accounts for one in every four deaths in this country. Relay for Life is a chance to raise awareness, raise funding for research, to honor those lost and pay tribute to those who are survivors. Luminary bags line the track with the names of those who have waged this battle as the guiding light of this overnight Relay event. For cancer survivors and the loved ones of those lost Relay is a chance to stand together, comfort each other, and empower each other to continue the fight!

For more information on Cancer or on Relay for Life call
1-800-ACS-2345
www.cancer.org

Relay For Life of Chittenden County
June 22-23, 2007
Champlain Valley Exposition- Essex Jct

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Sarah Lemnah writes on senior issues for the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging. This article originally appeared in the Burlington Free Press.