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closeRelay for Life event raises more than $178,000
The 10th annual Sumner/Bonney Lake Relay for Life raises funds for cancer research, inspires hope with stories of cancer survival
Roxanne Cooke
Despite the Saturday morning rain that mostly cleared out Sunset Chev Stadium, a small crowd gathered around the podium at 10 a.m. to hear one last uplifting speech at the 2008 Sumner/Bonney Lake Relay for Life.
Tacoma resident Dani Collins shared her story of cancer survival with the somber audience during the new “Fight Back” ceremony, which was one of the final portions of the 10th annual Relay for Life, a fundraiser for cancer research.
Collins was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 22 and attributes her survival to all the funds raised through Relay for Life events. She is the former chair of the Tacoma Relay for Life.
“Every day I make the conscious choice to fight back,” Collins said in her speech.
Next to the podium, a sand box was filled with 257 flags, each representing a person in the Sumner/Bonney Lake area who will be diagnosed with cancer in 2009. Event staff handed the flags out to attendees after Collins finished her speech.
The 2008 Sumner/Bonney Lake Relay for Life drew more than 55 teams and 450 participants. More than $178,000 was raised this year.
The “Fight Back” ceremony adds an assertive attitude to the event, said Mike Rutkosky, one of the event chairs.
“We relay so we can celebrate cancer survivors,” he said. “We are here together to fight back.”
The other event chair, Nani Bracken, is also a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer more than three years ago.
“I was in shock,” said Bracken, who is from Sumner.
But it didn’t slow her down — she decided to fight back.
“I felt very strong and confident,” Bracken said.
During chemotherapy, her children, then ages 13 and 17, took on quite a lot of responsibility.
“My children were a wonderful help,” Bracken said.
After five months of treatment, her cancer went into remission. She chose to help out at Relay for Life after the events inspired her.
“I’m thankful every morning I wake up and I feel blessed,” she said. “I was so moved by this event I decided to get involved.”
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DONATIONS STILL ACCEPTED
Donations to the Sumner/Bonney Lake Relay for Life will still be accepted through the end of August. To donate, visit www.relayforlife.org/relay/findevent and search for Sumner.