The Farnsworth Family: Relay For Life

I have always wanted to participate in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. When I was in high school some of my friends did it and said it was so fun. I have never had the opportunity to participate but since battling cancer, I felt like it is something I really needed to do from now on. I felt like it was one way I could give back. So we got a team together and did it!

So our team consisted basically of our family. We were also with friend, Brandy Sutton, and her family. Brandy is currently battling ovarian cancer for the second time. She is really doing well though and almost done with chemo. Our team was called Warriors For Life.

So for Relay for Life, you raise money to donate to the American Cancer Society. You pledge to run or walk for 24 hours to represent that cancer never sleeps and those affected by it live with the disease 24/7 until it is beat. The event started at noon on June 29 and went until noon on June 30. Russell had taken the boys to scout camp so the girls and I started the Relay without them and they came later that night.

During the day, there were a lot of activities going on to keep us busy as well as a lot of walking around the track at Willow Park.

The kids had a great time playing on the bounce houses, listening to stories, playing pop the balloon games, and other fun activities. During the pop the balloon game, the other people tried to pop your balloon tied to your leg. Charlotte did not want her balloon popped so she wouldn't go into the playing field. She kept her balloon for quite a while until this mean girl tracked her down at the bounce house and stepped on her balloon to pop it. Charlotte was heartbroken and I was a little mad at the girl too. I was able to get her another balloon but it just wasn't the same.

Well all of the stress and fun finally tuckered her out and she fell asleep. Emily and I continued to walk around the track while she slept. For each lap we walked, we collected beads. By the end of the Relay, we had over 100 beads which we turned in for tickets in the final drawing.

Russell and the boys finally made it that night and we walked around as a family.

I sure have a great support system!! Especially a loving and helpful family. At night the track was lined with these luminary sacks that were decorated and dedicated to cancer survivors and their families and friends. This is the luminary I dedicated to these wonderful people.

The theme of the Relay was Dr Seuss so there were a lot of fun photo booths around the park. Here are my Things 1-4.

The best sign around the park was the sign that said, "I do not like Cancer here or there... I do not like cancer ANYWHERE!!". Isn't that so true!

That night there was a Survivor's Dinner and a Survivor's Lap. This was definitely something special to be part of.

As I walked with all of these other survivors, I felt very inadequate. But it was also very humbling to know that I was not alone in this, there were others who had gone through this thing like I had and they had made it through as well. Some may have had a harder or easier time, we don't know, but we all made it through. The best was seeing my family cheer for me at the end. I really wanted to cheer for them instead because I could not have done it without them.

We continued to walk after the dinner and on through the night.

The kids thought it was so fun to be able to camp out at the park and sleep in the tent. They had been looking forward to it for a while.

The night activities were also very fun. First the kids loved the black light dance party on the stage. Emily and Logan ran up there to participate but Colby is more like me and held back and just watched.

The best part of the night was the Luminary Ceremony. This was very emotional as they honored and recognized everyone that had battled or was battling or had lost the battle to cancer. The amazing part was when they had everyone turn off all of their lights and we sat in the darkness. One by one, they read scenarios of people who were affected by cancer and one by one, we held up glow sticks until pretty much everyone in the whole park had their glow stick raised. It was amazing because you didn't really realize how many people were affected by cancer until you looked out and saw all of those glow sticks in the dark. It was pretty awesome and sad at the same time.

Another fun activity at night was the Epic Electric Run. This was done at about 1:00 am until 4:00 am. The entire track was lit with black lights and we painted our faces and arms with black light paint and ran around the path. It was fun and I ran 7 miles around and around that track during the Run. That was 28 laps!