The Alternative Press

CHATHAM, NJ - On Wednesday night, men, women, and high school students of Chatham came together for a night of empowerment and hope in the face of cancer victims past and present. The tiny commons room at the Chatham Borough Fire Hall was at capacity with citizens of Chatham that came to celebrate the Kickoff of the First Annual Relay for Life taking place in Chatham in June.

Jaime Bennett, manager of special events for the American Cancer Society in Cedar Knolls; Jenna Clausen, the event chair for Chatham’s Relay; and Tony Britt. the Relay co-chair, along with many high school girls who are youth liaisons for the Relay, explained the benefits of Chatham holding this well-known event this summer.

The slogan is “Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back,” and Bennett began her welcome by thanking the men and women present, as well as the survivors of cancer in the room, and bringing to light what the American Cancer Society has done for the greater good of the community.

Bennett went on to explain what the American Cancer Society has done for women and men in North Jersey. She said 160 women fighting breast cancer last year received wigs and hair extensions from the Cedar Knolls offices of the Cancer Society. She went on to give some history of Relay for Life and how Chatham and its residents will greatly benefit from this event.

The audience then heard from Sonja, a breast cancer survivor. She spoke about her struggle with breast cancer and how her community as well as the Cancer Society helped her get through this hard time in her life.

“After being told I had cancer, ‘I just want to live’ was the only thing that I could think about,” Sonja said, finishing her speech by restating how the American Cancer Society gave her so much support while she dealt with this disease. The next speaker was Shana, one of the young girls that are helping bring Relay for Life to Chatham.

Shana, a junior in high school, found a lump in her right shoulder blade during her sophomore year and after going to get the mass removed, she was told that she had Hodgkins Lymphoma and if it had not been removed she could have been in real danger. Shana went on to emotionally explain that with her best friends by her side she attended her first Relay for Life that year as a cancer survivor and was truly touched by all of the support and warm welcome that she received from all people at the Relay, and is looking forward to this Relay for Life with great hope.

After the survivor stories, Clausen went on to explain the roles of the community in terms of bringing the Relay for Life to Chatham and the roles of the teams and team leaders leading up to the actual relay in June.

“We want at least 500 people at the event,” said Clausen, showing that the support for this event is great and this event will truly be successful. She explained in detail the role of the team leader and what the job entails and how people can sign up online at relayforlife.org with your team members.

The speeches finished with an informational video. The speakers also touched on the ACS CAN, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and how citizens can get involved with this grassroots movement that “joins the fight” in ways that men and women are able to speak up about the benefits and limits that are in place against Cancer Research by Congress and how they can bring these limits to an end.

“I hope to get as much community involvement as possible, and make the event successful and continue to get the word out about the work ACS does,” Jaime told The Alternative Press.

“It’s going to be a fabulous event. Chatham is a tremendously, caring community and the event will be a huge success for ACS and Chatham both," Britt added. "It is the start of something that will continue for years to come.” 

Maureen McLaughin, Shana’s mother, said “The Relay is very empowering and it is a good way to know that you are not alone in your fight.”

The Relay for Life of the Chathams will take place June 1-2, 2013, at Haas Field, by the Chatham Middle School, on Main Street.

For more information, please visit:  www.relayforlife.org/chathamnj