The Valdosta Daily Times
November 26, 2008 04:14 pm
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The American Cancer Society will host a kick off celebration for the 2009 Lowndes County Relay For Life at 6 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2009, at the Knight of Columbus.
In 2008, the Lowndes County Relay For Life raised over $275,000 for the American Cancer Society. The 2009 event will be held May 1-2 at the Valdosta Middle School track.
Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society. Teams of family members, friends, co-workers and others join together each year to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and make a difference in the community.
Money raised from the event is used for education, advocacy, research and service. American Cancer Society educates on prevention of cancers, early detection, treatment options and how to care for a cancer patient. They also sponsor support groups; hold classes, seminars and forums; conduct outreach to health professionals who need to know the latest information on treatment and clinical trials; and develop programs aimed at youth and adults on the advantages of healthy lifestyle choices.
Legislative advocacy is an area where the American Cancer Society makes a huge difference. Advocacy is a force multiplier in the war against cancer. Changes in laws can impact millions of people, expanding and enhancing the American Cancer Society’s mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. The public policy arena can be as powerful a tool against cancer as the laboratory.
The American Cancer Society is the largest non-profit, non-governmental funder of cancer research in the United States, having spent over $2.5 billion dollars on cancer research since 1946. The advancements that are made in research lead to treatments useful for all patients in every community across the United States and abroad.
The American Cancer Society provides free around-the-clock information and support by phone (800-ACS-2345) or online at www.cancer.org 365 days a year. With over 200,000 volunteers in Georgia, the organization is able to provide services directly to cancer patients and their families.
The American Cancer Society provides transportation for cancer patients to doctor appointments and treatments, helps people cope with their illness through support groups, offers scholarships to young cancer survivors, and provides organized opportunities for the public to join the fight against cancer.
At every Relay For Life event, the American Cancer Society celebrates the lives of those who have battled cancer through its Survivor’s Lap and survivor recognition. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight. The American Center Society also remembers loved ones lost to the disease with its Luminaria Ceremony.
At Relay For Life, people who have walked alongside those battling cancer can grieve and find healing. Finally, the American Cancer Society fights back against cancer because everyone has been touched by cancer and it wants to put an end to the disease. Relay helps individuals make a commitment to saving lives by taking up the fight.
The theme for the 2009 Lowndes County Relay For Life is “Relay Around the World.”
To learn more about registering a team or signing up as a sponsor, please visit www.relayforlife.org/lowndescounty or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345.
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