Relay returns

There’s always been a little clowning around at Relay for Life.

This year organizers are making it official, initiating a circus theme for the annual Canadian Cancer Society fundraiser, scheduled for June 14 at Fort William Historical Park.

Jacqui Wheatley, event chairwoman for this year’s Relay for Life, said they’ve introduced a theme for the first time as a way to shake things up.

“We have a clown team coming out. We’d love for people to dress up in anything that means circus to them. It’s fun, so we’d like to make sure that everyone’s having a great time and enjoying the nice Thunder Bay weather that we will hopefully have in June,” Wheatley, whose husband survived a bout with cancer, said Saturday at the event’s annual kick-off luncheon.

Dan (Daffodil) Baxter knows full well the impact Relay for Life can have on cancer patients and their families.

Diagnosed five years ago with leukemia, Baxter successfully fought the disease and has once again taken on the role of survivor chairman.

“I feel that being a survivor it’s important to give back,” the 51-year-old said. “This is an important event for survivors. It helps them to show others in the community that they are survivors. It makes them feel great when they see all the luminaries that are there for people we have lost and in honour of others who are surviving their battle with cancer.”

Baxter said he doesn’t know where he and his wife would be without the help of the Canadian Cancer Society while he was fighting his battle with the deadly disease.

“They provided peer support, rides to the hospital and transportation to and from Toronto. They helped with travel grants,” he said.
“It was very important to me due to the fact my wife was on disability at the time and we had no other income. It was helpful someone was there to do something for us and help us out in those many ways.”

Last year Relay for Life in Thunder Bay raised about $150,000. Wheatley said they hope to grow that number by about $50,000 in 2013.

Teams consist of between 10 to 15 people and can represent a group of friends, co-workers, corporations or community groups.

Cancer survivors participate in the first lap of the event, known as the survivor’s victory lap. A suggested team goal this year is $1,200.
For more information visit the Canadian Cancer Society website at www.cancer.ca.