Letter: Whole community should get behind Relay for Life

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 1, 2018

I would like to thank everyone who helped with Relay for Life.

I am a 15-year breast cancer survivor. The Survivor Dinner was real good. I would like to thank the cancer survivor who donated the barbecue. It was real good and very thoughtful of you. We need more people like you.

On Friday afternoon when I got to Relay, I was very disappointed. Fifteen years ago when I walked my first Survivor Lap the grounds were full of people. Tents were all the way around the track. There was a lot of food for sale and other stuff. It was great; people really cared. There were a lot more sponsors like Time Warner, Salisbury Shag Club and a lot of churches, but not Friday night. It was like people did not care.

Please come back and support Relay for Life. It could be one of your loved ones or you with cancer.

Cancer changed my life forever. I will never forget the words, “You have breast cancer.” I was scared. My life passed before my eyes. I didn’t know if I was going to live or die.

With help from my husband, family, friends and church family I got through my surgery and treatments. Thanks to the American Cancer Society, I got a wig at low cost and other help I needed.

Thanks again to all who came out and supported Relay. It meant a lot to me to walk the Survivor Lap again. For the rest of my life I will wonder if my cancer will come back. If it does, I hope there will be a cure and good people to help me.

So please support Relay for Life. You will never know what it means to a cancer survivor to have people to support you and be there when you really need someone.

— Judy Shoaf

Salisbury