Relay for Life to help find cancer cure

Eastern Connecticut State University will host the 12th annual Windham Area Relay for Life this weekend at the Eastern Sports Complex in Mansfield.

The 24-hour event to benefit the American Cancer Society will start at noon Saturday and continue to noon on Sunday.

The money raised from the relay goes to support cancer research, education, advocacy and patient service groups.

Last year’s event featured 78 teams and raised more than $202,000, according to event co-chairman Jessie Shea.

“We’re hoping to do better this year, even though it’s a tough economy,” she said.

So far, the group has raised $32,000 and registered 74 teams through its web site, www.relayforlife.org/windhamct.

The relay will include a traditional “survivor’s lap” dedicated to those who have survived cancer.  It will also include a candle lighting ceremony, held at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“This is the most inspirational and emotional part of the entire event,” Shea said.

As part of the process, people purchase “luminaries,” or bagged candles – in memory of those who are battling or have battled cancer – and place them around the track while track lights are turned off.

Last year’s ceremony had 1,872 luminaries, according to the event web site.

A large screen at the site scrolls through the names of each person with a dedicated luminary and people walk one lap in silence, Shea said.

The event will also feature registration for the third Cancer Prevention Study of the American Cancer Society.

Registration will take place Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m.

The Relay for Life was started in 1985 in Tacoma, Wash., and continues to take place in more than 20 countries.

Last year, more than 5,000 relays took place, over 200 of them in New England.

The Windham Area Releay for Life includes participating people, organizations, groups and businesses from Andover, Ashford, Chaplin, Colchester, Columbia, Coventry, Eastford, Hampton, Hebron, Lebanon, Mansfield, Scotland, Willington and Windham.

The Eastern Sports Complex is located on Mansfield City Road about a mile north of the Eastern’s main campus. It is located just across the Willimantic border in Mansfield.

To form or join a team, make an online donation, sign up for the survivor lap or for more information, visit relayforlife.org/windhamct or contact Kim Silcox at Silcoxk@easternct.edu or 465-4426.