In Seminole, a hundred survivors join others in a march against cancer, the indiscriminate killer.
By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published April 28, 2004
SEMINOLE - One by one, clad in yellow shirts lettered boldly in black "I Am A Survivor," they stepped to the microphone.
They gave their names, described their diseases and - often to rousing cheers - announced that they were one-, two-, five- and even 42-year survivors of cancer: breast, colon, thyroid, prostate, uterine, kidney or some other form.
Then they began an 18-hour march Friday around the Osceola High School track to raise money for cancer research. As the sun set, the track glowed with luminaria candles. Other candles in the bleachers spelled out the word hope.
The more than 300 marchers included 100 cancer survivors - men, women and children - who joined in the annual Relay for Life sponsored by the American Cancer Society.
It was one of many fundraisers scheduled in the next few weeks throughout Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties to raise at least $1-million for research and local cancer support programs. According to Cancer Society representative Beth Weest, 60 percent of the money raised in each county will be used for local cancer programs.
"My entire family has had cancer. I just hold on to the hope that there will be a cure someday," said Barbara O'Brien, a co-chairwoman of the Osceola event and a two-time lung cancer survivor.
Danielle Etzler spoke told how she was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after her 21st birthday in 2002. Despite the rigors of her surgery and subsequent chemotherapy, she finished her degree at the University of South Florida, is working, and is studying to be a nurse so she can "give a little back."
Ernie Whalen, a Spanish teacher at Osceola, announced that he had just received a clean bill of health and is now free of cancer.
Mary Ann DeWitt, also a breast cancer survivor, told her 3-year-old daughter that her cancer cells were like "bad bubbles that had to be chased out of her body." She urged her fellow survivors to create positive energy by blowing soap bubbles as they walked the Osceola track. They did.
After the testimonials, 18 fundraising teams of cancer survivors, family and friends gathered at the edge of the track to march off amid the strains of Josh Groban's You Raise Me Up and the Gloria Gaynor vocal I Will Survive.
The Relay walk continued throughout the night, ending at noon Saturday, when participants learned that they had raised more than $33,000.
The winning team of mostly middle school children called themselves the Chemo Crew, in honor of their friend Emily Lester. They raised $6,285.19 - a total that may rise as donation cans distributed to local schools are turned in.
"This is my third time at a Relay. It makes me feel good to raise money to fight cancer," said Emily, 14, whose team also won the Relay last year with more than $5,000 raised.
Emily was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2001 after her family noticed she was getting very tired. Emily, who played soccer, found herself unable to run without getting out of breath. She had a 104-degree fever and turned gray the day her family took her to the emergency room and learned she had cancer.
Emily has undergone several bouts of chemotherapy, sometimes taking 50 pills a day. Today, she is in remission, has her hair back and is already planning the theme for next year's Relay.
"Emily's been a trouper. One of the hardest parts of all of this has been all the children we've met that didn't make it," said her mother, Tricia Lester. "It's so hard to believe how many kids have cancer. Never in my wildest dreams could we have imagined that we'd be there."
