Metro
Cancer patient and Relay booster Lori Buckfire with husband, Dan, and son Hayden
Shak-mq
Matt Lash, at his May law school graduation, flanked by his parents, Roberta and Cliff
*if Inspiration
Relay for Life raises cancer awareness, funds and hope.
L
Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer
on Haber Buckfire doesn't par-
ticularly think of herself as a
competitive person.
But she is more than thrilled to be the
No. 1 individual fundraiser for this year's
American Cancer Society Relay for Life of
West Bloomfield. At print time, Buckfire
had already exceeded her $10,000 goal by
$2,000.
The Bloomfield Hills resident, diag-
nosed at age 36 with ovarian cancer two
years ago when her son Hayden was just 6
weeks old, became involved with the event
last year after being invited to speak about
her experience. This year, she will return
as part of Team Chaverim-Spindles Crew
at the event, which runs 10 a.m. Saturday,
June 9, to 10 a.m. Sunday, June 10, at West
Bloomfield High School.
Buckfire was moved to become part of
a team after being touched by "the most
amazing feeling of unity' she said. "The
Relay starts with survivors walking or run-
ning a victory lap. There is also a ceremony
at night, when luminaries [paper bags filled
with sand and candles] are set around the
school's track with names of people affect-
ed by cancer, some with pictures on them.
"It is overwhelming seeing all these names
lit up. It is life transforming."
When Buckfire looked at the bags at last
year's event she noticed, "Someone had
put my name on one of them. I don't know
who, but someone cared enough to put my
name on it," she said.
This year, Buckfire will write the names
of others on luminaries, with her son and
nieces coloring the bags.
Buckfire says she's ready for the Relay.
"I'm doing and feeling great. It is elating to
know I'll be part of the camaraderie of peo-
ple getting together for such a good cause."
Being On A Team
In 2006, the Relay for Life event raised
$374 million nationally with the participa-
tion of 4 million people in 4,800 cities. The
West Bloomfield Relay raised $261,466 for
research, education, advocacy and patient
services.
This year, 48 teams will participate,
with members walking the track while
the community rallies around them and
enjoys entertainment, food and games.
Among Buckfu-e's Relay teammates are
fellow cancer survivor Matt Lash, who
grew up in Farmington Hills and now lives
in Chicago, and his family and friends
who founded the team.
Roberta Lash, Matt's mother, became
involved in the West Bloomfield Relay
shortly after her son's 2000 diagnosis of
Ewing's sarcoma, a type of bone cancer.
"I had read an article about how it was
started by (current Ali-Gators Relay team
members) Susie and Bill Graham (of West
Bloomfield) in memory of their daughter,
Alex, who had passed away from cancer:'
she said.
"When you receive a diagnosis of cancer,
you feel so powerless. After speaking with
our friends, we felt motivated to do some-
thing and that was to help raise awareness
and funds for the battle against cancer.
Matt named our team, Team Chaverim,
which means "friends" [in Hebrew]"
Last year, the team combined efforts
with Team Spindles Crew, and together
members fundraised for Relay through an
all-you-can-eat buffet and a silent auction.
Matt Lash, the subject of a February 2001
Jewish News cover story profiling his battle
with cancer, recently spent a semester
of school interning with Major League
Baseball and traveling through Europe.
Earlier this month, Matt graduated from
Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Making A Difference
"Being part of Relay is very empower-
ing:' Roberta Lash said. "I draw strength
from the collective support of my friends,
family and community who come out to
support our fundraising efforts. But it also
impacts us in a more personal way. Matt
is receiving treatments today that did not
even exist when he was first diagnosed
in 2000. Because of the support of the
American Cancer Society, the money we
raise is distributed to researchers and
facilities dedicated to finding new treat-
ments and cures. And Matt has been a
direct beneficiary of this."
Buckfire feels that impact also. "I'm
constantly hearing from my doctors that
the statistics for Stage 4 ovarian cancer
are really, really grim',' she said. "But the
statistics can change tomorrow. I know the
money raised from events like Relay for
Life will go toward drugs and treatment
and research that could potentially change
my life and the fate of millions of others!'
On her Web site, Buckfire wrote about
Relay for Life: "I am not doing this for
Sharing The Inspiration on page 16
Relay's Religious Side
Among the teams participating in
this year's Relay for Life of West
Bloomfield are those from syna-
gogues, schools and youth groups,
including Temple Israel, Temple Shir
Shalom, Temple Kol Ami, Bittker
B'nai Frith and the Frankel Jewish
Academy. Some will conduct religious
study and services during the event,
with everyone welcome to attend:
• 5-6 p.m., Saturday, June 9:
Temple Israel's director of educa-
tion and lifelong learning, Rabbi Rob
Morals, will lead "Torah in the Tent"
in the Temple Israel tent.
• 9 p.m., Saturday, June 9: Temple
Israel clergy will conduct Havdalah
services in the Temple Israel tent.
• 9:15 p.m., Saturday, June 9:
Temple Shir Shalom will host
Havdalah services in the Shir
Shalom tent.
• 9:30 a.m., Sunday, June 10:
Temple Shir Shalom will host a morn-
ing minyan in the Shir Shalom tent.
May 31 • 2007
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