2010 Relay for Life registration and meeting

It's quick and easy to register, and it could help someone with cancer celebrate one more year of life.
"Celebrating More Birthdays" is the theme for this year's Relay for Life and Morganton's co-chair Corona Kanipe wants folks to sign up soon to participate in the upcoming fundraiser.
"The money raised at Relay goes to help families and to make sure they get the support they need and then they can celebrate more birthdays," she said.
Meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. today and Thursday in the upstairs room of the Collett Street rec center for people to get information about the upcoming annual American Cancer Society event.
People can register online or by contacting Kanipe.
"If people don't have Internet access they can call and give their information, and we will get them registered," she said.
Teamwork is what it is all about.
Kanipe said, "We are asking everybody to give. If we raise $100 per team, and we have 1,000 teams we could raise $100,000. Every little bit helps. This can be used for lodging if someone needs to go to a cancer center outside of the county."
Jason Abernathy, community manager for the American Cancer Society, is the local representative for relay events in the Unifour region of Burke, Catawba, Caldwell and Alexander counties.
Relay for Life events are the American Cancer Society's signature event for fundraising, Abernathy said.
"All dollars raised go toward cancer research," he said.
When asked how funds are used locally, Abernathy said, "They always come back to the community. If you've ever had a mammogram, PSA test or taken Tamoxifen for breast cancer, then you've benefited from these dollars. All of these things were discovered through research and those dollars raised."
Abernathy grew up in the Valdese area and started out as a volunteer. He said, "I am working in communities where I grew up, and I feel that it needs to be a local person to make an impact.
"I work with hospitals to make sure we are the face of the cancer centers at the local hospital. The same treatments are offered right here locally, and ACS creates that awareness about what programs are here. They don't have to go to Duke or other facilities outside the county."
A toll-free informational number is available to cancer patients and their families. It offers program information for patients and answers questions about available treatment options
Kanipe said local support is crucial and why she got involved.
"My mom is a 14-year survivor and when she got breast cancer there was no one to help us, and I didn't know anything about Relay for Life," she said.
Years later a parent started a team at Oak Hill Elementary, where Kanipe works, to honor some teachers diagnosed with cancer and every year since Oak Hill is represented at Relay.
Now, Kanipe said she carries a card with information about ACS to share with others.
"They can provide you with support. There are people here you can call and be put in touch with someone who has gone through the same thing," she said, "They can talk to other survivors or gather information about medications or treatments."
Abernathy said, "The call center has a wealth of information and is the No. 1 resource even if you just need somebody to talk to."
Kanipe said corporate sponsors are needed and their names can be printed on the back of the shirt.
She said, "We need to get the word out that money is kind of tight, and they're not printing a lot of shirts. If people don't get registered early they may not have a shirt."
For teams, Kanipe said they need to be registered by April 1 to guarantee a shirt. The $10 registration fee includes a shirt, she added and cancer survivors register for free.
In addition, in-kind donations of food or photocopying of materials are appreciated.
"Anything they feel like could help Relay for Life is helpful," Kanipe said.
Relay for Life will be held starting at 5 p.m. April 30 at Patton High School.
Online registration may be done at www.RelayForLife.org/Morganton.
Contact co-chair Sallie Burgess after 6 p.m. at 238-2468 or 754-8676. The American Cancer Society call center number is 1-800-ACS-2345.