Local News - January 2003

Relay for life plans for ‘war on cancer’

By AL DOZIER, LTN Staff Writer

January 8, 2003 - Lincolnton officially kicked off its 2003 Relay for Life campaign Tuesday with more than 70 participants gathering at First Methodist Church to hear a pep talk from Chairman John Dancoff and officials from the American Cancer Society.

Phillip Gregory from Charlotte, clad in camouflage military attire, addressed the crowd as a military commander, officially declaring a “war on cancer.”

“We’re waging a war and one thing we’ve learned is that cancer does not fight fairly,” he said. “It comes at you in the middle of the night.. It sneaks up on you. It has no respect for race, color or creed. It has no respect for age — it affects young and old.”

Gregory went on to outline the resources available to fight cancer from the American Cancer Society, a huge contributor to research that is now finding cures while also providing educational services and support programs.

Relay for Life is the trademark fundraising event for the American Cancer Society, providing a fundraising effort with a weekend relay in which teams representing businesses, school and churches celebrate cancer survival while remembering those who have lost their life to the disease.

In Lincolnton, the event will be held at Lincolnton High School May 2-3.

Team captains for the event will hold an organizational meeting Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. at the Senior Center on the Lincoln campus of Gaston College.

The Lincolnton Relay had 60 teams last year and hopes to have 65 this year, with a goal of raising $175,000. The Relay ran a little shy of its $150,000 goal during last year’s rain plagued event, raising $142,000.

“I know we can raise $175,000 this year,” Dancoff said.

The group also heard from Lincoln Medical Center’s Courtney Myers on programs now available at the hospital for cancer patients and their families.

“I Can Cope” classes that provide cancer patients an opportunity to talk with doctors and other cancer survivors are now being held.. The hospital is also offering a smoking cessation program called “Freshstart.”

The Lincolnton Relay and the East Lincoln Relay event together raised a total of nearly $321,000, an effort that earned Lincoln County a fourth place standing nationally in its population category. For the past three years, Lincoln County has been in the top 10 ranking for fundraising

For further information on the Relay for Life, call Dancoff at 704-732-3396.

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For more information on services provided by the American Cancer Society, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit the web site www.cancer.org.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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