Two sisters, Theresa Schmitz, 45, of Ravenwood, and Mary Collins, 36, of Conception Junction, walked the Relay for Life survivors’ lap together Saturday for the first time as both survivors of cancer. The event was held at Beal Park.
For five years Theresa has been cancer free from a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), while her sister, Mary, was diagnosed in July with breast cancer and has started treatment. Theresa will be one person, along with many at the Relay event, who will understand what her sister Mary will be feeling while under treatment.
“It helps to see the survivors, and as one of them, I want to beat it (cancer),” said Theresa.
For Mary it was an emotional high, she said. “For several years I was involved with Relay for Life because of my sister. She has been my inspiration and has showed me the way,” Mary said.
She wore a hat designed by her daughter’s first grade class from Jefferson School with her classmates’ thumbprints on it. Her hair is gone now as she undergoes treatment at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, The Summit Heartland in St. Joseph and at St. Francis Hospital.
She said cancer has impacted a large number of lives. Everyone knows someone who has battled with cancer.
Mary and Theresa wear angel pins on their Relay for Life shirts. Mary said she would be receiving chemotherapy until Christmas, but then faces probable surgery and radiation.
“There has been an outpouring of support from people who want to make a difference,” she said. The support comes in celebrating survivorship and a hope for a cure.
The event had a carnival-like atmosphere. There were hamburgers on the grill, soap bubbles swirling in the air, a duck pond game and homemade ice cream. On the grandstand, local choirs sang the national anthem, young performers sang country songs to the crowd in the bleachers.
Native American dances were furnished by local Boy Scout troops. Also, an odd beauty contest where men were dressed in drag had the visitors laughing but also throwing scolding looks.
At 6 p.m. hundreds in purple T-shirts marked “Survivor”, supported by family and friends, took a parade lap around a large circle lined with luminaries with names and faces of many individuals who have passed away but are not forgotten.
As they passed the crowds, the survivors were applauded; many tears appeared from the eyes of the survivors as well as the team members and visitors. One woman ran up to a survivor in a golf cart and embraced her. Many survivors were holding hands; some were in wheelchairs and some walked slowly.
One Northwest student, Natasha Jones, 19, along with her mother, Mary, was wearing a pink hat and Natasha had topped it off with a pink balloon figure.
The Jones were supporting a brother and a son, Mikel Jones, 22, as he struggles with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. “He has had it for two years,” said his mother. He has had chemotherapy, stem cell therapy and is in the experimental drug testing stage, Mary Jones said. She said the Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is supposed to be curable. The disease started on the top part of his body and has spread to the lower part of his body, she said.
Natasha said her brother is married and also loves the Chiefs. It was hard for her to speak about her brother. Mikel, his wife, Natasha and Mary Jones all walked the Relay for Life circle representing The Station Kids team.
By sunset, the lights of the park came on as the Relay for Life teams continued their voyage to walk for those they love and to raise money for research to find a cure for cancer.
With a $10 donation, a luminary bag was purchased in honor of, in support of, or in memory of someone who has had cancer and won the battle, is currently fighting the battle against cancer or lost the battle against cancer.
All funds collected for the luminaries are credited to the Nodaway County Unit of the American Cancer Society. As the luminaries were lit at 8:45 p.m., quietness overcame the crowd as the luminaries were lit.
Afterwards, the Relay teams continued to walk around and around the soft-lit beacons reminding them why they were there.
They came to celebrate, to remember and to fight back.
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Two sisters, Theresa Schmitz, 45, of Ravenwood, and Mary Collins, 36, of Conception Junction, walked the Relay for Life survivors’ lap together Saturday for the first time as both survivors of cancer. The event was held at Beal Park.
For five years Theresa has been cancer free from a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), while her sister, Mary, was diagnosed in July with breast cancer and has started treatment. Theresa will be one person, along with many at the Relay event, who will understand what her sister Mary will be feeling while under treatment.
“It helps to see the survivors, and as one of them, I want to beat it (cancer),” said Theresa.
For Mary it was an emotional high, she said. “For several years I was involved with Relay for Life because of my sister. She has been my inspiration and has showed me the way,” Mary said.
She wore a hat designed by her daughter’s first grade class from Jefferson School with her classmates’ thumbprints on it. Her hair is gone now as she undergoes treatment at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, The Summit Heartland in St. Joseph and at St. Francis Hospital.
She said cancer has impacted a large number of lives. Everyone knows someone who has battled with cancer.
Mary and Theresa wear angel pins on their Relay for Life shirts. Mary said she would be receiving chemotherapy until Christmas, but then faces probable surgery and radiation.
“There has been an outpouring of support from people who want to make a difference,” she said. The support comes in celebrating survivorship and a hope for a cure.
The event had a carnival-like atmosphere. There were hamburgers on the grill, soap bubbles swirling in the air, a duck pond game and homemade ice cream. On the grandstand, local choirs sang the national anthem, young performers sang country songs to the crowd in the bleachers.
Native American dances were furnished by local Boy Scout troops. Also, an odd beauty contest where men were dressed in drag had the visitors laughing but also throwing scolding looks.
At 6 p.m. hundreds in purple T-shirts marked “Survivor”, supported by family and friends, took a parade lap around a large circle lined with luminaries with names and faces of many individuals who have passed away but are not forgotten.
As they passed the crowds, the survivors were applauded; many tears appeared from the eyes of the survivors as well as the team members and visitors. One woman ran up to a survivor in a golf cart and embraced her. Many survivors were holding hands; some were in wheelchairs and some walked slowly.
One Northwest student, Natasha Jones, 19, along with her mother, Mary, was wearing a pink hat and Natasha had topped it off with a pink balloon figure.
The Jones were supporting a brother and a son, Mikel Jones, 22, as he struggles with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. “He has had it for two years,” said his mother. He has had chemotherapy, stem cell therapy and is in the experimental drug testing stage, Mary Jones said. She said the Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is supposed to be curable. The disease started on the top part of his body and has spread to the lower part of his body, she said.
Natasha said her brother is married and also loves the Chiefs. It was hard for her to speak about her brother. Mikel, his wife, Natasha and Mary Jones all walked the Relay for Life circle representing The Station Kids team.
By sunset, the lights of the park came on as the Relay for Life teams continued their voyage to walk for those they love and to raise money for research to find a cure for cancer.
With a $10 donation, a luminary bag was purchased in honor of, in support of, or in memory of someone who has had cancer and won the battle, is currently fighting the battle against cancer or lost the battle against cancer.
All funds collected for the luminaries are credited to the Nodaway County Unit of the American Cancer Society. As the luminaries were lit at 8:45 p.m., quietness overcame the crowd as the luminaries were lit.
Afterwards, the Relay teams continued to walk around and around the soft-lit beacons reminding them why they were there.
They came to celebrate, to remember and to fight back.
