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| Ligon |
"We need people who have survived all types of cancer to participate in Relay for Life," said Survivorship Development Chair Laurie Ligon.
"This year, as we focus on colon cancer, we would love to have all the local colon cancer patients register to participate in our Victory Lap on Friday, Nov. 14."
Each survivor who registers in advance receives a free survivor's T-shirt to wear as they walk the first lap that kicks off the relay.
Diagnosed with rectal cancer in 1998 and then again in 2001, Ligon knows firsthand the struggles and victories of being a cancer survivor.
A friend introduced her to someone who had gone through the same thing she had before her colostomy surgery in 2001.
"It was comforting to have someone who actually knew what I was going through to talk to about what was happening to me," said Ligon.
It was this new friend who got Ligon involved with Relay for Life for the first time. Last year, that same new friend asked Ligon to speak at the Survivor Dinner and from that, Ligon's involvement grew to her current role as survivorship development chair.
In this position, Ligon's main duty is to register local cancer survivors to participate in Relay for Life.
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"More than half of the cancer survivors that have volunteered to participate this year so far have had breast cancer. Fernandina Beach has a great breast cancer support network in place which has also helped us to recruit participants," reports Ligon.
Ligon understands why some cancer survivors choose not to participate in the event.
"Part of me understands that. Everyone has their own reasons. I think for some, they just don't want to live their lives with the cancer label. They like to think of it as just a glitch in their lives that they've overcome and don't want to continue to dwell on it. I, too, was hesitant at first. But once I got involved, I was hooked!"
"She is an inspiration, having lived through cancer and going on to volunteer for Relay for Life to honor others who have survived," says Relay for Life Publicity Chair Shanda McRannolds of Ligon.
In addition to the complimentary reception for survivors and caregivers following their lap at the Relay, survivors are honored at the Survivor Dinner on Nov. 6.
The Relay for Life begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14 and lasts until noon on Saturday at the Ybor Alvarez Sports Complex off Bailey Road, near the Fernandina Beach Airport.
A luminaria ceremony will be held about 9 p.m. Friday. Various civic, business and other organizations also will have booths offering items for sale to raise funds for cancer research.
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