Walking the gift of life

Society can be hard pressed to find a more motivational, emotional, inspiring, moving event than the annual Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

Although its primary role is a fundraiser, the Relay, which was held in Gander over the weekend, is about more than simply opening your wallet and handing out bills, or writing checks. For some people, it's a time to creatively come up with ways to help those in need - to give what others don't have.

And when it comes to thinking outside the box, leave it to two young girls from Appleton to lead the way.

Two sisters, not yet in their teens, both blessed with hair that reached their waists, raised more than $2,000 for the Relay, but it's not the money they raised that left people inspired.

Around 12 midnight, the two girls sat on stage in front of more than 300 people at the Gander Community Centre, with their mother in the background, tears clearly forming in her eyes. The two girls had their hair put into a long ponytail, and then about a foot of that ponytail was cut. The hair was to be made into wigs for children who lost their hair during cancer treatment.

As the girls had their golden and brown hair cut, their proud grandfather stood in front of the stage with a video camera, and their father snapped more pictures than one would at a major press conference, while the mother stood behind the girls, tears of joy and utter pride in her eyes.

As the first girl had her hair put into a ponytail, someone from the crowd yelled, "You're going to make a child really happy." The girl just smiled, and nodded her head. After their hair was cut, both girls held the ponytail high like a trophy to a thunderous applause that nearly took the roof off the Gander Community Centre.

The atmosphere at the marathon Relay is twofold. In one corner of your eye you can see family members crying, holding each other in a hugging embrace as they remember a loved one that lost their fight to cancer. However, in the other corner of your eye, you can see survivors dancing and laughing - embracing the gift of life. However, both images are what makes the Relay so special. You walk for those battling cancer, yet you remember those who bravely lost their fight.

In the grand scope of things, however, the Relay is a prime example of how a group of strangers can come together and make a difference. In general, the incidence and death rates for the majority of cancer types have stabilized or declined during the past decade. Since 1988, the overall cancer death rate for Canadian males has been declining, and for females - excluding lung cancer - the overall cancer death rate has dropped by nearly 20 per cent since 1981.

Although the Relay alone isn't responsible for the declines, it is indeed a contributing factor - and it seems the public is embracing their contribution. Although the Gander Relay started with more than 300 people, less than half of those people remained at 7 a.m. during the final lap. However, when it was announced that more than $70, 000 was raised, the few people left standing let out a cheer worthy of 300 people.

It was a fitting end, to what was a spectacular event.

info@ganderbeacon.ca