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community focus Relay volunteer gets new home, exhibits our cancer fight to the nation To Shawna Farina, the American Cancer Society Relay For Life is more than just a 24-hour event that brings communities together to raise funds and awareness to fight cancer. As the Relay For Life of Spencer County's lead volunteer in St. Meinrad, Indiana, Shawna says it's her life's calling. 
Her involvement started as a way to honor her mother, who has breast cancer. When the young mother of three had to fight her own breast cancer diagnosis in 2005, planning the next Relay became her reason to get up in the morning, stay connected with friends, and keep a positive attitude. It was always, and continues to be, her way of working towards the cure.That's why when ABC's hit television series, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, chose to build a new home for the Farina family they couldn't do it without Relay For Life. The network approached the American Cancer Society and the volunteers of southwestern Indiana with an unprecedented request: hold five consecutive Relay For Life events while the Farinas' new home was being built. With only four days' notice and the Farinas in Disney World, 18 communities responded heroically. They gathered 5,000 people and raised $33,500 to fight cancer in the events, collectively called the "Extreme Relay For Life in Spencer County."  One of the volunteers who participated was Frank Daunhauer, who serves on the Spencer County Relay committee with Shawna. He is currently in treatment for mantle cell lymphoma, but walked an extraordinary total of 435 laps during the Extreme Relay. Frank knows that he is surviving his cancer because of research funding, some of which is raised in Relay events. "When I walk, I'm paying a little of that back," he said. And, he was happy to be there in honor of Shawna. The five days of Relay came to a close when Shawna walked the last lap with her mother. Then the Farinas were welcomed into their new home. With a new home, Shawna and her family will no longer have to worry about the financial burden of cancer and she will be able to focus on her passion for Relay. The cast and crew imprinted the event's logo on the patio floor and built a new Relay office filled with pictures and paraphernalia to help her plan events. "I will put this office to good use," she said. "This is something I'm going to be doing until the day I die for those that lost the battle and those who have to face it." "My house was built with so much hope and love," she said. "I think I'll be saying 'thank you' for the rest of my life." But she says words can't measure up to all of the gratitude she feels. Four new teams have formed in her area since the Extreme Relay, and Shawna is hoping that more people who watched her story will join the cancer fight. "Call your local American Cancer Society office," said Shawna. "We need as many voices as we can possibly get. If you're even interested, go check out a Relay For Life...We will find a cure for cancer, it's just a matter of time." To learn more about Relay For Life, call 800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org/relay. Pictured above: Shawna Farina (right) and Frank Daunhauer (left). | |
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