“We want people to realize that these events are out there.”
Cancer is still a huge problem in the world. In 2017, there will be an estimated 1,688,780 new cancer cases diagnosed and 600,920 cancer deaths in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society.
Relay for Life is a non-profit organization, started in 1985, to hold community fundraising events to raise funds for cancer research and programs and to promote awareness.
Cinnaminson Township will host its first Relay for Life at Cinnaminson High School on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m.
This event may be the first in Cinnaminson, but it surely is not the first in Burlington County and New Jersey.
“We used to hold an event once or twice a year in each county,” American Cancer Society Community Support coordinator Gina McAleese said. “In 2016, we held 21 events in total that ranged from Mercer County to Cape May County. Cinnaminson’s event this year increases that number to 22 for 2017.”
Cinnaminson now joins Delran, Florence, Marlton, Medford, Mt.Laurel, Moorestown, and Northern Burlington who all partake in Relay for Life each year.
The event is set to have a wide range of events for attendees to partake in, including live performances by a DJ, dance and Zumba instructors, and inflatable games.
Following an opening ceremony, there will be laps for both cancer survivors and caregivers. When the sun goes down and dusk arrives, the Luminaria Ceremony will begin.
“Attendees will decorate a bag in anyway they want, which will later be lit up by remote-controlled candles,” McAleese said. “Participants will then take a lap around the track, which can be both somber and emotional for everyone.”
Cinnaminson started preparing for this event in late June/early July and has raised slightly more than $16,000. Some 27 teams are already registered for the event, while 106 participants make up those teams.
“In the short amount of time they have had to fundraise, they have done an outstanding job,” McAleese said. “Normally towns will spend around a year planning for an event, but Cinnaminson has been phenomenal in their quick turnaround.”
Local businesses have also joined the cause as sponsors, while the Cinnaminson Police Department and Cinnaminson schools have also been huge in both donating and promoting the event.
McAleese hopes the event continues to grow not only in Cinnaminson but across the country.
“We want people to realize that these events are out there,” McAleese said. “The money raised goes toward our programs, whether it be to help patients get treatment or to help patients receive wigs. The growth in South Jersey has already started, and we expect it to continue growing into the future.”
For more information regarding Relay for Life of Cinnaminson, or to make a donation, check https://www.facebook.com/RelayForLifeofCinnaminson/.
