survivorship and patient services

Mother and son celebrate survivorship through Relay For Life
Every year, Relay For Life brings together more than 3.5 million people to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and empower individuals and communities to fight back against a disease that affects too many.

Sherri Brewster of Petersburg, Indiana has been a cancer survivor for four years. For three of those years, she has been actively involved as a committee member of the Relay For Life of Pike County. Cancer survivors like Sherri bring with them a legacy of living hope to Relay, truly making the event a celebration of life. "Being [involved in] Relay feels great because my whole family is in it. And from us, there are more people that have gotten involved," said Sherri.

Sherri was diagnosed with cancer through a family planning clinic during a routine checkup. "[My diagnosis] sent us in so many different directions. [Having cancer] made me more aware and more open to what was going on. You always hear about cancer [but] instead of just sitting there [saying] oh well, that’s sad…my reaction was, yeah that’s sad, but we’ve got to do something about this. So it helped me to take more action."

Sherri’s 17-year-old son Jake is also on the Relay committee and is so proud of his mother for her dedication to making a difference in the fight against cancer. While celebrating survivors during the luminaria portion of their Relay kickoff, Jake brought many to tears. When asked why he does Relay, he said, "Because of my beautiful mom."

Relay is now an integral part of Jake’s life. "I [may have] joined Relay for my mom, but I enjoy spending time with my family and friends doing something actually worth doing. This is just one county, one Relay For Life…and [to think] every other place has one is unbelievable. And that makes me want to do it even more." Nowadays, Jake participates in Relay in hopes of raising more money for cancer research.

"I [am] very proud of him because he has done a lot for Relay," said Sherri. As a cancer survivor, she understands how important it is to take action.

There is a moment in every Relay when participants take time to honor and celebrate cancer survivors like Sherri during the Survivor Lap, allowing them to bask in their victory over cancer.

"Now that I’m a survivor, I talk more and I’m more open about [cancer]. I’m more vocal in every aspect," said Sherri. "I used to be this shy person who’d sit back and watch everybody and I’d follow everybody, and now I’m on the committee and I’m in charge of survivorship. I think this a wonderful organization we’ve got going on here."

By participating in a Relay For Life near you, you too can celebrate cancer survivors, pay tribute to the lives lost to the disease, and raise money to fight back – all within your community. To find out how you can join the fight against cancer, call your American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345

Pictured: Sherri and Jake Brewster