By Staff
Beginning at noon Saturday, cancer survivors, caregivers and community members will join for the annual Relay For Life.
Relay is not only an opportunity to celebrate and honor those people who have fought this disease, it is a chance to put the spotlight on cancer and on the ways that doctors and scientists are working to combat it.
We have seen cancer in the spotlight in recent weeks, as two high-profile people in the political arena have announced a resurgence of their cancers: Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, and Tony Snow, the White House press secretary.
But all of us who have had cancer touch our families know how difficult it can be to deal with the disease - and how much strength we can draw from the stories of fighters and survivors.
As we make advances in medicine, cancer has become not necessarily a death sentence but a chronic illness to be managed with a variety of new treatments.
And one of the best ways to combat cancer is to raise awareness about cancer risks and to raise money to help fight it.
The teams who will gather at the Brewton YMCA on Saturday have been doing just that for months. Through unique fundraisers - from auctions to cake contests - they have been collecting money that will help the American Cancer Society fight cancer.
We applaud all of the team members and urge residents to stop for one or all of the many activities at this year's Relay. Every little bit can help fight the disease that affects so many families.