The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is such an amazing event. Over the years, I've been a part of maybe five or six of them throughout California, and each one has been fantastic. I started doing relays because I thought it was a good cause. At the time, I didn't know many people affected by cancer, but still understood the importance of raising money for research, so I was glad to participate.
In 2007, a kid I knew was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and unfortunately passed away in November of that year- he was only fifteen. This hit home for me because, even though I didn't know him as well as I would have liked, I could see that we were similar in many ways. To this day, he inspires me to live my life as best as I can, because I know he would do the same. Since then, he is the reason I relay and each subsequent event has become a little more personal.
One of the most popular and emotional parts of Relay for Life is the luminaria ceremony. At each relay, you can donate money for a bag, on which you can honor the memory of someone who has fallen victim to cancer, or celebrate the life of someone who has survived. These bags are later filled with sand and candles, and are placed around the track. When it gets dark, the candles are lit and the track becomes illuminated. At the beginning of the ceremony, some bags are placed on the bleachers, spelling out HOPE. The ceremony is usually comprised of some combination of speakers, which can include survivors or those who have lost loved ones, and sometimes performers. A few years ago, my friend, Taylor, was in charge of running the luminaria ceremony in Fremont, and she asked me if I would play the saxophone. I was honored to be a part of it, and played Somewhere Over the Rainbow in front of everyone.
During the ceremony, it's almost impossible to find a dry eye. From everyone's experience with cancer, emotions always run high. It's really sad to see how many people have been so affected by this terrible disease. The good thing, though, is that everyone at the event is experiencing the ceremony together, and this creates such unity among everybody. By the end of the ceremony, the luminaria bags on the bleachers have been changed from HOPE to CURE. Although emotional, it's a great thing to experience.
This was actually the first year that I personally made a donation to the American Cancer Society, and I was so glad to do it. This was also the first relay I made a luminaria bag. Mitchell Louie truly was an awesome kid, and will forever remain in our hearts.
I strongly encourage you to participate in a Relay for Life- it's such a powerful experience.
Luminaria Ceremony
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