Welcome Today is

WCC has a team of students, faculty and staff. Persons wishing to sign up to walk or man the table please contact Tara Humphries (sign up sheet located in Dogwood 139) or Julie Hollowell.

How Relay for Life Started in Wayne County

Relay first started in Wayne County in 1990. At that time Ava Jackson was the American Cancer Society Director for this area. After learning Pitt County had raised $6,000 that year, she appointed Janis Faricloth as the chairperson joined by Diana Pike, CC Wilkins, Jack Kannan, and Dr. Lee Adams. They proceeded to host the first "Run/Walk" event. It was honored as the "Crusade Event of the Year" by the American Cancer Society. They raised $18,000. It lasted twelve hours from 6:00pm to 6:00am and was held at The Family Y. It rained so much they spent most of the time on the indoor track. They had plenty of good food from their sponsors: Pizza Inn, Darden Sandwiches, Pepsi, Coke, Krispy Kreme, and Mickey's Pastry Shop. The next year it went twenty-four hours and they added swimming to the event. It was then called "Run/Walk/Swim" and again it was held at The Family Y. That year the weather was better and they began camping out. They raised $26,155 and had thirteen teams.

No one is quite sure when it was first called "Relay For Life" but the best guess is 1994, at which time they raised $25,000. From there it continued to grow. In 1998, after outgrowing the hospitality of The Family Y, the Relay then moved to Eastern Wayne High School. The first year there monies raised went from $46,000 to $102,000. After many great years at Eastern Wayne and total monies raised at $504,000 in 2004, the Relay is moving to Wayne Community College. The Wayne County Chapter of The American Cancer Society is #1 in NC and #4 in the nation per capital for money raised.

How Your Relay Dollars Are Being Put to Work

1. They have helped fund the initial research of 38 Nobel Prize Laureates who discovered cancer screenings and treatments including the:

Pap Smear

Mammogram

Tamoxifen

The PSA Test

Gleevee

These tests and treatments are being used by many of the citizens and cancer patients in your local community hospitals, doctors' offices, and Radiology and Oncology Groups everyday.

2. Your dollars have helped make the American Cancer Society Patient Resource Navigation Center become a reality. This wonderful cancer resource center allows cancer patients and their family members to receive cancer information anytime day or night from highly trained Cancer Information Specialists. These staff can serve as a warm, friendly voice in the middle of the night during people's journey with cancer.

Through the use of the 1-800-ACS-2345 phone number or the website www.cancer.org people can obtain information regarding the various American Cancer Society patient support programs and services, cancer treatments, and clinical trials that are available in or near their home towns. Each month over 100,000 people call the Patient Resource Center.

3. In 2004 your contributions helped fund over $13.6 million in cancer research in North Carolina including:

$5.31 million in cancer research at University of North Carolina

$3.28 million in cancer research at Duke University Medical Center

$2.05 million in cancer research at Wake Forest University

$1.5 million in cancer research at UNC - Wilmington

$716,000 in cancer research at Research Triangle Institute

4. They have funded the various American Cancer Society patient support programs and services that cancer patients and their families use everyday in your community including:

Reach To Recovery

Look Good Feel Better

Road To Recovery

Man To Man

5. These funds have helped bridge the gap in disparities for better access to cancer screenings and cancer cared for all residents of North Carolina.

6. Your dollars have also helped fund The Youth Quitline in Eastern North Carolina that is designed to help reduce youth smoking in North Carolina.

7. Your funds have also helped fund the operations of the American Cancer Society McConnell-Raab Hope Lodge in Greenville, North Carolina. This facility provides a home-away-from-home for cancer patients who are undergoing cancer treatments in Greenville. Cancer patients and their caregiver can stay in the lodge at no cost on a first come first serve basis for as long as needed. The lodge's warm friendly and supportive atmosphere provides cancer patients with a respite from the rigors of cancer.

Information obtained from Wayne County Chapter of the American Cancer Society. (www.wayneacs.org)

Persons wishing to sign up to walk or man the table please contact Tara Humphries (sign up sheet located in Dogwood 139) or Julie Hollowell.