By Ellen Mancini, with Brandie Engelberger
Thirteen years ago I called the American Cancer Society. I had had enough of family members and friends being diagnosed with Cancer, and I wanted to take my anger and do something good with it.
The last straw was when my 37-year-old cousin passed away, leaving a wonderful husband and a 3-year-old girl.
After sharing my story with the director at the American Cancer Society, she invited me to attend a Relay For Life meeting. That night, I was asked to work on the Survivorship committee – engaging local Survivors, planning the Survivor Celebration, etc. I have been hooked on Relay For Life ever since.
I continued to serve on Relay For Life committees even as I moved around from New Jersey to New York to Alabama and back to New Jersey. It was while living in upstate New York that I came down to Jersey to have my routine mammogram.
The following week I received a letter stating that the mammogram was irregular. The test came back malignant.
I had Stage One breast cancer.
The day of the diagnosis, I contacted the American Cancer Society office to tell the director my news. I could not believe that, after all these years of being on the Survivorship committee, I was now a Survivor myself.
Perhaps, the director pointed out, it was because of my involvement with Relay For Life that I was so aware of the importance of regular screenings, prevention and detection measures.
Relay For Life, quite literally, had saved my life.
The first Relay For Life after my diagnosis was tough but wonderful. As the Survivor chair, I was responsible for handing Survivors their medals as they walked the first lap around the track while the community cheered them on.
I watched as the purple Survivor shirts went by, and I applauded for those people. I was so impressed by their strength and courage to fight this horrible disease. I was given a purple Survivor shirt myself, but I found it difficult to admit that I had this disease too.
A Relay For Life committee member recognized this, and told me, “It’s going to be okay. You can put the shirt on.” She walked with me as I took my first lap around the track as a Survivor.
Relay For Life has been an integral part of my survivorship, my healing and my hope. Through this community event, I have met wonderful people who provided me with strength and inspiration.
I have been celebrated by my community, I have found a beautiful way to honor my cousin during the Luminaria Ceremony, and I have been given a platform to fight back against the disease.
I have gained so much from participating in Relay For Life that I want to share this opportunity with anybody else who has been affected by cancer. Relay For Life of Greater Morristown provides the community a chance to celebrate our survivors, remember those lost, and fight back.
I encourage others to learn more about this wonderful event that will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2015, at the Mennen Sports Arena in Morris Township, by visiting www.RelayForLife.org/MorristownNJ.
For more information, contact Brandie, community manager for Relay for Life, at Brandie.Engelberger@cancer.org or 973-285-8029.
Ellen Mancini lives in Lincoln Park.
