So…
Montour County Relay For Life. What a great event! Normally this relay is held on the track of a local school however last year's flooding caused a huge amount of damage so that wasn't possible. This year the Relay was held in Riverside at the Fire Department. All the trucks had been pulled out of the building and parked in front so that a Survivor's Dinner could be held inside. The actual Relay was outside in back of the fire department where it was grassy with lots of shade trees, a large pavilion where luminaries were being made and a white line marked the path for the walkers and runners. Around this path were all manners of tents and campsites which made for a very welcoming sense of community.
Valerie and I left Mansfield around 1:00, stopped at Wegmans for lunch, another stop at Best Buy so I could get a new photo card and then a stop at her favorite yarn shop and then finally the Relay. We got there around 4:30pm, the sun was hot and we weren't sure of where everything was so we poked around a bit. I signed myself in as a Survivor, got my goodie bag (which contained a t-shirt and a pin) and went in search of my contact person. I finally found her and she told me that I should be near the stage around 5:50pm. No problem. Time flew by and before I knew it there were announcements being made over the loud speaker for people to gather at the stage to begin the Survivor Ceremony. Not long after that, I was being introduced and invited to share my story. I started out just fine, barely needing my notebook (because I had the entire thing written down to read) but there was a part where I choked up and after that I did read from what I had written. I knew it well so I was able to look up and around frequently. (It feels WONDERFUL to be that prepared….I wasn't nervous at all….more excited than anything). People were attentive, some cried right along with me and when I got to the part about Jeremiah something unexpected happened. They cheered. They clapped. I cried. To feel that kind of love and support all around is an overwhelmingly wonderful feeling…..and my tears were of gratitude for both Jeremiah and the love of this crowd.
I finished up and introduced the hematologist who was to speak after me. He did an excellent job in sharing the personal side of what it means to be a doctor that deals with treating people with cancer. I loved that he was personal and not clinical…it's what I love best about Geisinger.
Afterwards, several people came over to give me hugs and one lady in particular hugged me for a long time and sobbed. She was on a team called Carol's Crusaders….all dressed in teal….she lost her friend Carol to ovarian cancer last year. She said that the things I had said touched her….how do you respond to that? I hugged her tight. Sometimes words just aren't necessary. I imagine she felt my heart ache as much I as felt hers.
Survivors were asked to line up for the Survivor's Lap. The hematologists were asked to carry the Survivors banner and I was to walk in front, leading them all while carrying a torch. There were a lot of people wearing purple shirts (indicates cancer survivor) at this event and I was honored to have been chosen to lead the way.
The parade ended at the fire hall where survivors and caregivers were invited to a sit down dinner of chicken, baby carrots, mashed potatoes and a dessert of our choosing. On every table were pots of petunias…enough for everybody to take one or two or an armful if they wanted!
After dinner, we had fun getting our faces painted, wandering around looking at the different team sites and the things they had for sale and then it was time for the luminaries to be lit. The luminaries that were in honor of someone (Valerie made one for me), were red bags and they were in the middle of the field in a design. The bags that were in memory of someone were white and there were so many that the entire path around the field was full of them all crowded together. The visual was intense and I think Valerie summed it up best: "Dear God."   Very sobering.
By that time it was about 9:30pm so we packed it up and started on our way home. The conversation couldn't have been better…..serious stuff but lots of silly stuff too. We stopped in Liberty to use the restroom and we went in with our glow stick necklaces perched on our heads like a crown and with our face painted and tattoos…..we were punchy and having fun! As we got back in the car, there was a man standing nearby and our silliness interested him. We completely ignored him! As Valerie was getting in the car, I noticed a butterfly that had his wing stuck under a garbage can. I gently picked him up, showed Valerie and then put him down. He immediately spread his wings and let me take his picture (which I'll put up later).
Our next stop was Smythe Park in Mansfield where they were also having their Relay For Life event. I am sorry to say that it was pitiful. There were maybe 4 tents/team sites there…everything was picked up for the night and only the luminaria was there to remind us that there was indeed an event taking place. Also, there were only 6 other people walking the track. I think it was pitiful and a sad commentary on our community with the lack of participation….and in comparison to the event we had just come from…it was obvious which community needs MUCH MORE awareness to take place.
It was a day well lived. I felt alive, silly, happy and thankful for my life. It was a reminder to me that not so very long ago it was unclear which luminary would hold my name….in honor or in memory.

Michelle