Relay For Life Comes to Countryside on Friday

Relay For Life, the nationwide effort to raise money and awareness for cancer research through organized community walks, is coming to Countryside High School this Friday, April 19.

The event, which covers 6.9 miles, will begin at 6 p.m and continue through the night, ending at around noon on Saturday.

The Countryside relay is just one of hundreds such events nationwide, each of which features cancer survivors and their families walking together in order to raise awareness about the deadly disease.

"Relay For Life events are held overnight as individuals and teams camp out...with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track or pathway at all times throughout the evening," Lauren Hagwood, the American Cancer Society's community representative for Florida, told Patch.

"Teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their camp sites during Relay."

In addition to the walks and fundraisers, the events feature games, activities, and entertainment, all designed to unite cancer survivors and their supporters for a common cause.

"Relay brings together friends, families, businesses, hospitals, schools, faith-based groups . . . people from all walks of life – all aimed at furthering the American Cancer Society’s mission to save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays," Hagwood said.

For more information on Relay For Life and a complete list of events in your area, visit the foundation's website at www.relayforlife.org.

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