STARKVILLE — The Oktibbeha County Relay for Life begins Friday and, like many of those who help stage the event each year, Brian Hawkins has a personal connection to the cause.
Hawkins, who co-chairs the event with Barbara Foster, was first exposed to cancer when he was just 14 -years-old.
“My maternal grandfather had liver cancer,” Hawkins said. “He died four months after being diagnosed. I remember him going down really fast and being in constant pain. I sat with him for a couple of hours in the hospital, just to give my grandmother a break, really. And I’ll always remember how awful it was, all that pain. It’s something that stays with you.”
The Oktibbeha County Relay for Life, one of many relays staged all over the country, was developed to celebrate cancer survivorship and raise money to support research, advocacy, education and patient assistance programs. The 2011 Relay raised more than $76,000 for the Cancer Society. As of last week, more than $57,000 had been raised, by the teams participating in this year’s Relay, toward the $100,000 goal.
“The most we ever raised was $89,000 two years ago,” said Hawkins, who served as the event publicity director for the previous five years. “We’re hoping to raise between $80,000 and $90,000 this year. We may even approach that $100,000 mark, which would be great.”
The 12-hour event begins at 6 p.m. at the Starkville Sports Complex, with the ceremonies including a “survivor’s lap.”
At 10:30 p.m., a special service will be held with participants lighting luminaries and “Torches of Hope” to honor cancer survivors and remember those who lost their battles with cancer.
The event features entertainment, including performances by local bands and dance groups, as well as impromptu dance sessions and an open mic session.
More than 30 relay teams will keep members on the tracks throughout the event, which ends at 6 a.m. Saturday.
In addition to the entertainment, spectators can enjoy concessions, raffles and play areas.
For complete schedule information, visit relayforlife.org/oktibbeha.
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