The first Relay of the season for Palm Beach County is on February 23-24, 2013, with the opening ceremony at noon, luminaria ceremony at 6:30pm and closing ceremony at 6am, all of which will take place at Logger’s Run Middle School in West Boca.  

“This is a really moving, emotionally powerful signature event and this year I will be relaying for my father who is fighting the battle and is going to win,” said Jamie Lober, Public Relations Chairman of the American Cancer Society – South Palm Beach Chapter.  Lober said his diagnosis has given her life a brand new calling.  “I have spent the past year at the forefront of rare cancer and gynecologic cancer initiatives nationally and obviously am a spokesman for my local American Cancer Society affiliate which is a role that I means a lot to me,” said Lober.  

Essentially, Relay for Life involves celebrating the lives of those who have battled cancer, remembering those we have lost and fighting back against the disease.  “The fighting back component is one of the reasons I get up feeling so energized each day and the largest way we can do this is by advocating for more research, of which the American Cancer Society is the largest source of private, nonprofit funds in the United States second to the federal government in total dollars spent,” said Lober.  

At the event, you will find that people camp out overnight around a track surrounded by entertainment, games and neat vendors.  “Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times to acknowledge that cancer does not sleep,” said Lober.  

Lober feels progress has been made in the fight against cancer as a result of Relay or Life, an event whose fund-raised dollars are given back to the mission of the American Cancer Society which includes advocacy, education, research and patient services.  “The biggest educational piece I want to promote right now is that cancer patients used to be told to rest and limit physical activity whereas now they are told to get moving,” said Lober.  If movement leads to rapid heart rate, shortness of breath or pain, you should stop.  “In most cases exercise is not only safe during cancer treatment but it can improve your quality of life, help you function better physically and prevent you from losing range of motion and becoming weak,” said Lober.  

Patients should talk with their doctor before starting a program.  “Your interdisciplinary cancer care team will monitor your blood counts and if you have a low red blood count or anemia you should not exercise or if you have a low white count and are prone to infections you should stay away from public places like gyms but most people do just fine,” said Lober.  

Relay for Life makes a bold statement as survivors, caregivers, patients and supporters of the American Cancer Society unite on common ground.  “It is nice because you can be out in the fresh air and walk at your own pace but if you have cancer in your bones, you should consider safety and balance to avoid falls and injuries and should not walk the track alone,” said Lober.  

Each Relay for Life event can be found at www.relayforlife.org by location.  There is a link to ‘sign up’ and ‘join a team.’  Signing up involves a $100.00 registration fee which goes toward your overall team goal and after you have signed up, you are able to invite others to add themselves to your team and start fundraising individually through the website.  Each participant gets a Relay for Life webpage to use for fundraising and anyone who raises $100.00 or more gets a commemorative Relay for Life t-shirt.  “This is a way that we try to recognize people for their efforts and there are usually more people with commemorative t-shirts than not,” said Lober.  

Lober invites everyone in Palm Beach County and the surrounding areas to come out to the Relay for Life this weekend and show their support for the American Cancer Society.  She tells that it will be memorable and leave such an impression that you will find yourself coming back in years to come to do more.  “My fighting back does not stop with Relay for Life, as I want to get smoke-free laws passed, increase funding for cancer research, motivate others to get involved with the organization and improve access to quality healthcare,” said Lober.  Relay for Life appears to be one of the most popular fundraising events of the year.  “Our statistics show that one out of every 100 Americans participates in the approximately 5,100 Relays that we have nationwide, so we are easily the largest movement globally to end cancer and that is one of the many reasons I am proud to have a tiny part,” said Lober.