Brandon Twp.- Raena Kalfayan lost her best friend, her grandmother, to cancer four years ago.
The heartbreaking loss, difficult enough, was made harder to bear because it likely could have been prevented if her grandmother’s cancer, which originated with a bowel tumor, had not been misdiagnosed for seven years.
‘You know your body and when something is wrong, you know,? says Kalfayan. ‘Fight when you know something is wrong.?
Now, the 33-year-old township resident is taking her own words to heart? she is fighting for a cure. For the second year in a row, Kalfayan will walk in the Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville. The 24-hour walk is set for 10 a.m. June 13 to 10 a.m. June 14 at the Brandon Schools Athletic Complex on Varsity Drive. Last year, 25 teams of family members, friends, and co-workers camped out overnight and took turns walking laps around a track, raising more than $43,330 to find cures for cancers.
This year’s event will feature themed laps including hula hoop, bubble, 3-legged, 70s, 80s, pajama, singalong, backwards, and Mr. Relay.
There will be plenty of musical entertainment, including a disc jockey and the Hawkeyes, a band featuring Brandon High School English teachers Jeff Malicke and Jeffrey Hughes. The Brandon Show Choir will be singing ‘Seasons of Love? from the musical ‘Rent.? There will also be bounce houses, dunk tanks, clowns, volleyball, and many other things to see and do. At night, movies will be played and there will be a luminaria ceremony, honoring those who have lost their fight to the disease.
Event Chair Colleen Cordner currently has 35 teams signed up to participate and teams are welcome to register all the way up to the morning of the event.The public is invited to attend to view and participate in festivities, even if not walking the track. Event officials are also seeking survivors.
‘While Relay for Life can seem like a big carnival, the ceremonies remind us why we are there,? said Cordner. ‘Our opening ceremony at 10 a.m. is a celebration, where we celebrate our survivors with a survivor lap and brunch. We invite all our cancer survivors to join us. Survivors include anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer, so whether you are currently fighting your battle, or have been cancer-free for many years, you are a survivor. We would like you to join us!?
Kalfayan, who stayed the entire 24 hours last year, volunteering and walking, said the relay can’t be really understood until it is experienced.
‘All these people come out to support you and the luminaria ceremony is undescribable,? she said. ‘It went from excitement to sheer busyness, and exhaustion and at the end, the reason we were there. It did not seem like 24 hours, there was so much going on.?
‘Be prepared for excitement and emotions and a really good time,? she continued. ‘It’s crazy how many people I met. It’s one of those things where everyone has been touched at some point. I know the economy isn’t pleasant, but every dollar counts and it’s free and open to the public. Just come out for the cause.?
Donations can be made to this local Relay For Life event by visiting www.relayforlife.org. Community members can also start or join a team by following the links to the Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville event on www.relayforlife.org.
Erin Semmens at 248-663-3448 or Erin.Semmens@cancer.org.