Keeping up the fight
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on May 22, 2016 1:45 AM
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News-Argus/ALAN CAMPBELL
Participants in the survivors lap of the Relay for Life of Wayne County release balloons after the completion of their lap Friday at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
Amanda McMurray was diagnosed with leukemia at age 6 1/2.
She is now 34 and in her 11th year teaching marketing and business at Southern Wayne High School.
As a child, she said, she was reticent to talk about her prognosis.
That is no longer the case.
"I love to share my story because every time you influence anyone or give them hope," she said, thankful that she had good odds -- "I had a 67 percent chance of surviving" -- and for the strides that have been made in the years since.
Friday night, poised to participate in the survivors lap at Relay for Life, she enthused about the meaning behind the walk around the track at the Wayne County fairgrounds.
"I get emotional every time I walk this lap, thinking about all the ones that aren't with us and that I survived," she said.
Overcast skies and intermittent raindrops did little to dampen the spirits of survivors, caregivers and others whose lives have been touched by cancer in some way.
Tina Woodard is a two-time survivor.
"The last one was Stage 3 rectal cancer and I'm two years out," she said. "The other was kidney cancer, five years ago, Stage 2."
She did not go it alone, though, crediting her husband, Randy Woodard, her daughter and her dog for being faithful companions.
The couple said they support Relay and its efforts to support the American Cancer Society in raising funds for research.
"A lot of people passed away in the '70s and '80s -- if research was done they might still be here," Woodard said.
Linda Person knows that firsthand, having lost both parents, and other family members diagnosed with the disease.
She has been blessed with good health, with the exception of a recent surgery, requiring her to wear a boot and use crutches to navigate the grounds at the event.
"If that's all I have, I'm blessed," she said with a smile.
Rosie Heimbach and Chloe Hart, eighth-grade classmates at Eastern Wayne Middle School, showed up to help at a face-painting booth.
"This is actually my first time," Chloe said. "I'm here because I've had several family members with cancer. I'm looking forward to seeing all the survivors."
Laura Snell of Dudley had two purple cups in hand, which she planned to fill with donations for the cause.
"My husband passed away. He had a brain tumor, six years ago this past January," she said. "My mother back in Maine passed away from cancer 20 years ago."
She comes from a long line of family members that have had, or still have, cancer, she said.
"I will be 72 in December. I'm blessed."
Paula Cox, one of the Relay organizers, donned a short purple wig, while her daughter Lazandra Simmons, 27, wore a longer version and a hat that featured a large birthday cake and candles on it with the message, "Better with Age."
Ms. Simmons originally gave the hat to her grandmother before what would become her last birthday.
"Our grandmother, her (Paula's) mother, had cancer but she passed away two years ago. We weren't ready for it," Ms. Simmons said. "After the mourning, (Paula) went into overdrive, with Relay. It's been whatever we can do to help."
"It all started with our grandma," added her sister, Alexandra Cox, 19.
"It started with her but it just kind of opened our eyes," Ms. Simmons said.
For others at the event, it was all about the numbers, each year representing another year to celebrate life.
Faye Strickland of Goldsboro, diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, will celebrate 12 years cancer-free in October.
Sarah Andrews of Grantham said she had never attended Relay before, but came out in support of her friend, Ms. Strickland.
Sandi Jones, platinum blonde hair bearing glints of pale lavender streaks, representing the color that coincided with her cancer, pancreatic. It's been 13 years since her diagnosis, she said.
Shirley Blackman was marking 25 years since she had breast cancer.
"Two years ago I had throat cancer," she added. "I'm in remission. I'm doing good but this is the first time I have tried to walk (the lap)."
For Ann Shaw, it had also been 25 years since she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"It means that cancer can be beat," she said.