Community fights back against cancer

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Last year’s absence of the Relay for Life prompted unification within the Strathmore community, which sent a clear message over the weekend – the void is no longer acceptable.
As funds already exceeded expectations with a whopping $21,000 before the event even kicked off on Saturday, 42 participants braced the cold and rainy weather while embarking on a six-hour relay around Kinsmen Park.
After many contributions from local businesses, whether financially or in kind, the enthusiasm and determination eliminated any uncertainty about the event’s future within the Town of Strathmore.
“So to see it grow so quickly in the last two weeks gives me so much positivity for next year, and I think we laid the ground work to make an amazing event next year,” said Siobhan Doherty, revenue fund development coordinator with the Canadian Cancer Society.
“The thought of Strathmore Relay for Life being cancelled again, that’s not even a possibility in my mind. My concept of this right now is cancer never stops. It doesn’t matter the weather, doesn’t matter the time, it doesn’t matter your age. So we’re not going to stop. This is uncomfortable, it’s rainy, it’s wet, but we can make a difference in cancer.”
However, the initiative to bring the event back to Strathmore began long before last weekend. Over the last couple months, the staff at the Strathmore Value Drug Mart drummed up interest and canvassed the streets selling over 150 luminaries for their campaign, Light up the Park. The team also received donations from Strathmore businesses totalling $1,000 and took the title for the top fundraising team with their donation of nearly $8,400.
Legends Sports Bar was also among those contributors who were instrumental in reviving the cause, by donating their space and a percentage of bar sales for several fundraising initiatives.
“When they approached us we were more than happy to help them out, and it’s always a lot easier when it hits home,” said Logan Cox, co-owner of the establishment, who had a friend and grandfather battling the disease. “If there is anything we can do to help, we are more than happy to. Especially when it’s local and in the community.”
In an effort to attract more community members and focus on family, the event was open to the public for the first time in Strathmore. Recent changes also allowed for the relay to be reduced to six hours, rather than go throughout the night, and be held during the day. Residents were also exposed to food trucks, entertainment, and even a dunk-tank, while the day finished off with the lighting of luminaries in memory of loved ones.
Faced with becoming another statistic on four occasions, Dale Stephenson, cancer survivor, not only participated in the relay, but shared his story with the crowd. Having been diagnosed with cancer for the first time 34 years ago at the age of 16, Stephenson battled the disease four times and received two bone marrow transplants. With a portion of his life spent in hospitals, he is no stranger to the costs associated with the diagnosis and understands the value of keeping the relay alive within the community.
“The wheels start turning and spinning and your mind goes in 42,000 different directions,” Stephenson said when he found out he had cancer the first time. “It’s nice to see it come back to Strathmore. It’s not something that needs to go away, and it’s all about helping the communities and people that you don’t know. Your story will ring volumes in their ears. Maybe now, maybe not, or maybe in a year.”
Aware of the community’s contributions in the past, Robin Navin, who Doherty said played a crucial part in bringing the event to life, felt confident in advising the Canadian Cancer Society that a goal of $20,000 is reasonable. Navin, who previously raised $7,000 for the Airdrie Relay for Life, took on a more active role in brining the relay back to Kinsmen Park. After her brother–in-law, Peter Navin, a professional snowboarder and sponsored skateboarder, lost his 10-year battle with brain cancer in late 2013, Navin struggled to explain to her young children their uncle’s fate. In turn, the kids were eager to participate in ways to help prevent other families from losing their uncles. While the process proved exhausting, in part due to a lack of volunteers, Navin was thrilled about the participant turnout and donation results.
“My goal is that one day no one has to tell their kids what dying of cancer is, because that was hard,” Navin said. “Strathmore has a lot to give and it’s a great community. Events like this, like Canada Day, have huge turnouts. I think we can make the Relay for Life like that too, where the whole town comes out to have a good time and give back to a horrible disease.”
The Relay for Life in Strathmore raised $24,136 that will go back into services provided to cancer patients, such as providing gas for the volunteer transportation services.