Relay for Life draws hundreds of participants
CARIBOU, Maine — Over 100 people gathered at the track outside Caribou High School last Friday for the 2016 Relay For Life of Aroostook, a fund-raising event dedicated to cancer treatment.
Attendants stayed up all night for the fundraiser, with some standing behind booths and selling a variety of goods and others walking around the track. Glowing bags with tea lights inside surrounded the track and spelled out “HOPE” on the bleachers.
Participants had all dealt with cancer in their own way, with some being survivors and others having to care for a loved one struck with the deadly illness.
Gina Buckey lost a dog to cancer on the day of the event, and has been attending the relay for four years.
“I took my dog, who I’ve had for ten and a half years, to the vet today and found out that he had a mass in his spleen,” said Buckey. “The vet had to put him down on today of all days.”
A photo of the dog sat next to a picture of Buckey’s father, Frank.
“Two years ago, my father developed brain cancer and passed away,” said Buckey. “Frank’s Band of Brothers and Sisters is for my dad who had survived two other forms of cancer. I’ve been doing it for him for two years and was with another team before that, so I am very passionate about the event.
In spite of the tragedy she has experienced, Buckey maintained a positive attitude for the relay.
“It’s a great group of people every year, we stay up all night and always have a blast. It’s a great community event for a good cause.”
Buckey’s message to those battling with cancer is to “hang in there. It’s a fight that we’re going to eventually win.”
Brandy Alley, co-leader of Team Crafting for a Cure, attended the American Cancer Society-sanctioned event despite being in the final trimester of her pregnancy.
“We’re doing a lot of walking so maybe her water will break,” said Alley’s boyfriend and teammate Devin Cote.
The June 17 event marked Alley’s sixth time participating in the relay and her fourth time running her own team.
“My co-captain (Tammy Cray) is a cancer survivor,” said Alley. “My grandfather is a survivor, he lost his brother and father to cancer.”
“This is my second year in a row,” said Cote. “My uncle passed away from cancer, but had a really positive attitude the whole time.”
“Coming to the relay is great,” said Alley. “It’s a good opportunity to come out and see how much support is really out there.”
Alley advises anyone who learns of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis to “be there for them.”
“In the words of my uncle, giving up is too easy,” Cote added.
Robert Craig of the Maine DOT team participated for the first time this year, deciding to get involved upon learning that his brother and his wife’s brother were both diagnosed with cancer in the past year. Though it is his first year, he says that it will likely attend future Relays.
Craig’s advice for those dealing with cancer is to “be strong, keep an open mind, and fight with everything you’ve got.”
