Turlock’s Relay for Life kicked off their season with a Hollywood style premiere Tuesday night at Emanuel Medical Center’s Regional Cancer Services, and the must-have accessory on the red carpet was a smile.
Be they cancer survivors or loved ones, the guests at Tuesday night’s event were all smiles as they celebrated their personal victories and recommitted themselves to battling the disease.
“I’m so thrilled that we can celebrate all our Turlock survivors,” said Kristin Bettencourt, the chair of Turlock’s Relay for Life organizing committee.
The survivor celebration drew one of its largest crowds in recent years with just over a few hundred in attendance. Seeing that many cancer survivors together was a pleasing site for Judy Roberts, who has been battling chronic small cell lymphoma.
“I love it. It is so uplifting,” she said. “I don’t know all of these people here, but really, no one is a stranger here.”
The reception launches a series of activities for Turlock’s Relay for Life that culminates in the 24-hour walk. This year’s relay will be held on May 1 and 2 at Dutcher School.
“Since it began in 1985 in Tacoma, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life has grown into one of the largest and most visible efforts to raise funds and fight cancer,” said Sanjiv Kashyap, the executive director of Emanuel Regional Cancer Services. “It’s now grown to more than three-and-a-half million people participating in 5,000 communities, and has always been enthusiastically embraced by Turlock.”
The Relay for Life event in Turlock last year drew more than a 1,000 participants and raised $175,000.
“It is incredible that our community could raise that amount of money in this economy,” Bettencourt said.
To contact Sabra Stafford e-mail sstafford@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2002.
Be they cancer survivors or loved ones, the guests at Tuesday night’s event were all smiles as they celebrated their personal victories and recommitted themselves to battling the disease.
“I’m so thrilled that we can celebrate all our Turlock survivors,” said Kristin Bettencourt, the chair of Turlock’s Relay for Life organizing committee.
The survivor celebration drew one of its largest crowds in recent years with just over a few hundred in attendance. Seeing that many cancer survivors together was a pleasing site for Judy Roberts, who has been battling chronic small cell lymphoma.
“I love it. It is so uplifting,” she said. “I don’t know all of these people here, but really, no one is a stranger here.”
The reception launches a series of activities for Turlock’s Relay for Life that culminates in the 24-hour walk. This year’s relay will be held on May 1 and 2 at Dutcher School.
“Since it began in 1985 in Tacoma, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life has grown into one of the largest and most visible efforts to raise funds and fight cancer,” said Sanjiv Kashyap, the executive director of Emanuel Regional Cancer Services. “It’s now grown to more than three-and-a-half million people participating in 5,000 communities, and has always been enthusiastically embraced by Turlock.”
The Relay for Life event in Turlock last year drew more than a 1,000 participants and raised $175,000.
“It is incredible that our community could raise that amount of money in this economy,” Bettencourt said.
To contact Sabra Stafford e-mail sstafford@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2002.
