ommunity
NESS
Twenty First Annual
Up
Walking That Lap
Relay celebrates cancer survivors.
ONE DAY ONLY
Saturday,
May 29th, 2010
9am-7pm
Trade in your clean used
jeans for a new pair at
Jeans collected
will be donated to the:
Homeless of
Oakland County
One Pair of Jeans per customer
No charges, cash and check only
Orchard Lake Road, just North of Maple in The Orchard Mall
2413-8511-11260
All additional donations are tax deducible
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38
May 20 • 2010
he American Cancer Society's
Relay For Life event often is
defined as a celebration of life
and truly symbolizes the courage and
spirit of the more than 500,000 cancer
survivors who, each year, proudly walk
the event's survivor lap at more than
5,000 Relay For Life events nationwide.
"More people are surviving cancer
than ever before and I am one of them:'
said Brad Silber of Commerce Township,
a 13-year cancer survivor. "In fact, there
are 11 million cancer survivors living
today. Because of progress made by the
American Cancer Society, cancer is no
longer an immediate death sentence.
"I am living proof that this disease is
survivable, but there is still more work
to be done to ensure everyone diagnosed
with cancer celebrates more birthdays.
That is why we hold the Relay For Life of
West Bloomfield each year."
The relay runs June 5-6 at West
Bloomfield High School. Beginning with
registration at 9:15 a.m. June 5, local
cancer survivors will be honored during
the Survivor Celebration.
"Relay For Life is a place where you
can go to share your story without say-
ing a word',' said Michelle Silber, survi-
vorship chair. "We are inviting all cancer
survivors, no matter if it's been one day
or one decade since their diagnosis, to
come out and be celebrated."
Participating cancer survivors are
given special T-shirts and beads to wear
T
as they lead a special victory lap around
the track. A complimentary lunch for
survivors will be served.
"The Victory Lap is one of the most
moving experiences of my cancer jour-
ney," said Esther Olson. "Each year, I'm
overwhelmed by the crowds of people
who surround the track cheering on sur-
vivors like myself. It reminds me that I'm
not alone in my fight against cancer:"
Also at the heart of this emotional
event is the luminaria ceremony.
Luminaria are small candlelit bags
decorated with the names of people who
have faced cancer. The lit bags line the
track often into the morning hours.
If you would like to make a donation
for a luminaria in honor or in memory
of someone touched by cancer, call
(248) 663-3409. All donations received
for luminaria and the Relay For Life as
a whole are used to fund the American
Cancer Society's mission to save lives
by finding cures and by fighting back
against cancer.
Donations also can be made directly
to the American Cancer Society Relay
For Life of West Bloomfield by visiting
www.relayforlife.org/westbloomfieldmi
and clicking on make a donation.
For information on joining the
American Cancer Society Relay For Life
of West Bloomfield, contact Kari DeCarlo
at (248) 663-3409. For information on
survivorship, contact Michelle Silber at
(248) 363-8365. ❑
Cancer Battle Goes To Israel
WASHINGTON (JTA) — A leading
breast cancer organization and the city
of Jerusalem are teaming up.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and
Nancy Brinker, founder and CEO
of Susan G. Komen for the Cure,
announced the start of the Israel Breast
Cancer Collaborative this fall.
Events from Oct. 25-29 will feature a
think tank on early detection, the Race
for the Cure and the Israel Mission del-
egation of scientists, cancer survivors
and activists who want to serve the
breast cancer movement in Israel.
Asked whether there would be
outreach to Palestinians who want to
attend, the mayor pledged to make
the event accessible, describing it as a
"bipartisan, nonpolitical event" Barkat
joked later, "As requested, the city walls
will be pink."
"Sixteen years ago, Susan G. Komen's
very first international research grant
went to Israel," Brinker said. "Since
then we have funded nearly $2 million
in scientific research and community
outreach."
Brinker said the collaborative will
allow her organization to continue
its work with current global partners
such as the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee and Hadassah
as well as new partners in Israel such
as the Israel Cancer Association.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn.,
and his wife, Hadassah, and former
ambassador Ned Siegel and his wife,
Stephanie, are co-chairs of the col-
laborative. Joining the partnership are
Breakthrough, a charity established
in the United Kingdom; the Canadian
Breast Cancer Foundation; and
Sharsheret, a nonprofit organization
for young Jewish women facing breast
cancer.