Hall's Relay for Life, raises money, raises hope

BRASELTON - What is now one of the biggest American Cancer Society Relay for Life events in the Southeast unfolded Friday evening at Road Atlanta.

"Hall County is actually the 16th largest fund raiser for Relay for Life in the Southeastern United States, in the whole South Atlantic Division," said ACS Senior Community Manager Andrea Shoemaker.

According to Shoemaker 101 teams signed up for the 20th annual event, the 4th year it was held at Road Atlanta. There were 1,900 registered participants with an additional estimated 600 cancer survivors.

"Here at the event we usually have between 15 to 20,000 people who come out," Shoemaker added.

The Relay for Life goal this year is $466,000 and as of Friday morning according to Shoemaker $330,000 was raised, reducing that goal to $136,000.

"Hall County is capable of that," Shoemaker said. "We are a community that can come together and continue to be in the forefront of making a difference in the survival rate of cancer."

Relay for Life supports cancer research; about 77 cents of every dollar goes back into services for the Relay for Life but the money also supports local services.

"They can come to our office and get a free wig," Shoemaker said. "That's such a blessing when I see a woman come in tears because she's lost her hair and leaves feeling so much better about herself."

Shoemaker said the Cancer Society provides half a salary for a cancer patient advocate at Northeast Georgia Medical Center to help patients with financial challenges.

"Basically when you're diagnosed with cancer she becomes your advocate and helps you navigate through some of the financial things you may have to go through if you don't have insurance or if you need co-pay."

Cancer Society funding raised by the Relay for Life also supports volunteer drivers who provide transportation to cancer patients when needed.

The survivors inaugurated the all night event to run from 7:00 p.m. Friday until 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Sixty-seven year old Betty Gillespie from near Clermont clearly remembers that day in May 1996 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 51.

"It was devastating," she said. "I went for a mammogram and they called me and told me I needed to come back for another one because they found something. My doctor called and told me I needed to see a surgeon and I went the next day."

A six-month fight against the killer disease followed. Surgery removed a breast, chemotherapy followed.

"It wasn't as bad as some of them, but it was bad, she recalled. "I lost all my hair and it started coming back after I got through with the chemo."

There was also the extreme fatigue.

"I would go take the chemo one day and by the time my sister got me home I would eat and then I was just out, just worn out for two or three days and then I would start getting better," she said. "I'm proud, I'm glad to be a survivor."