Gwen Schweitzer and Bill Zheng both have had their lives touched by cancer. Schweitzer’s grandmother is a survivor of brain cancer. Zheng’s grandmother died from colon cancer 10 years ago. Schweitzer and Zheng are this year’s event co-chairs for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Issaquah.

Relay for Life is the brainchild of Dr. Gordy Klatt of Tacoma. Just this past year, Klatt was diagnosed with stomach cancer. In a video taped message he said he’s received words of support from all over the world.

The idea behind Relay is that cancer never sleeps. Therefore, neither do the participants in a Relay, which have now become global events.

Teams are formed, usually with colorful themes. As teams, they raise money through various fundraisers – bake sales, car washes – anything creative. Then team members take turns walking or running all night around a track – without sleep.

Survivors are always invited to join in the Survivors Lap, which opens every Relay event. When the sun goes down, hundreds of luminaria are lit to remember those who lost the fight, or are fighting cancer or those who fought cancer and won.

At the kick off event, held at the Hilton Garden Inn, team captains got their kits and words of encouragement to set the bar high. The goal for the Issaquah Relay, which will be held at Issaquah High School this year on June 7–8, is $300,000 and 85 teams. So far, $8,773 has been raised and 32 teams have been formed.

Each team captain was tasked to have at least one survivor on its team.

Zheng, a senior at Skyline High School, is in his fourth year of Relay.

“Relay was something special I found to honor my grandmother,” he said.

He never really got to know her he said. Zheng said last year some of the football players from Skyline stood in front of the Klahanie QFC with a real toilet bearing the sign “flush away cancer.” They raised $500 in a matter of hours. But, Zheng said, last year they fell $8,000 of the goal for Relay Issaquah, so, he said, corporate sponsorships are encouraged.

Aimee Martin, community relationship manager with the American Cancer Society, said the money raised this year will help fund a new study called CPS3, or Cancer Prevention Study 3. CPS1 resulted in evidence that smoking caused lung cancer. CPS3 will monitor participants between ages 30 and 65 to study how their lifestyle choices affect cancer. You must not have been diagnosed with cancer before to be in the study.

Relay for Life Issaquah will be the only place to enroll in the study because volunteer nurses will have to take some physical measurements and a blood sample. ACS will then mail volunteers follow-up surveys regarding diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices.

For more information contact Martin at 206-674-4118 or aimee.martin@cancer.org.