06/21/07 — Anne Walker calls herself “a cancer ‘survivor’ of a different sort.”

To be more exact, she has never been a cancer patient. But she has lost her husband, her parents, a sister-in-law and four grandparents to the disease.

One way the Cambridge Springs resident honors their memory is to take part in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. So, this weekend, 57-year-old Walker will be volunteering at the annual day-and-night fundraiser at the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society Showgrounds near Saegertown.

Relay for Life involves teams raising funds for the American Cancer Society by having at least one team member walking at all times during the 24-hour event that begins Saturday afternoon.

A big part of the event is a ceremony in which a huge array of ground-level luminaries and some other lights are lit in honor of those who have survived cancer, as well as those who have died from the disease. During the lighting, their names are read aloud.

For its chairperson Walker, its an event which still brings tears to her eyes after four years of leading it. Luminaries line the area where team members walk and, as day turns to night on Saturday, about 9 or 9:30 p.m., the luminaries will begin to sparkle.

“It reduces you to tears. It’s dark and there’s always something magical about dark, and candles burning, which puts you in a mood to be somber,” Walker said. There’s also soft music playing in the background, a speaker and then the names of people who have died or survived cancer are read — the same names which are on the luminaries.

She said there are several hundred names, possibly a thousand. As they are called out, stories and other information about the person can be shared. “Every name has a story,” Walker said.

“This is a very safe, comforting way to bring the memories back up again,” she said, explaining, “there’s a flood of emotions, but there is a lot of love. All around you are people who are right there with you — either cancer survivors or those who have lost someone to cancer. You are surrounded by people also feeling the same kinds of emotion. It’s good for you once a year to take a minute out and honor someone you love.”

The luminaries remain lit throughout the night, a longlasting reminder of the people they honor.

Walker got involved in this special way after attending her first Relay for Life several years ago. That year, she was remembering her husband William (Bill) Walker, who was diagnosed with bile duct cancer on Feb. 14, 2000, and died just two months later.

Because his cancer progressed so quickly, Anne said, “I didn’t have time to think about the Cancer Society.” She was raising children, working and traveling daily to Pittsburgh to the hospital where he was being treated.

So, after her first year as a Relay spectator, she was so impressed she decided to get involved. Chairing the luminary ceremony was a perfect fit for her. “I think it is the most touching and emotional part of Relay for Life,” she said. “All of it (the Relay for Life) is wonderful and great; it’s a wonderful fundraiser, but the luminary ceremony is very particular, very emotional, very touching — and I just care about it.”

Walker quickly adds that although the luminary ceremony is somber, there is plenty of fun and laughter during the rest of the 24-hour Relay. Throughout the 24 hours, she said, there is lots of food, fun, games, bands and entertainment — along with contests for all the team members.



To buy a luminary

Anyone wishing to order a luminary, Tiki torch or eternal flame may do so in advance by calling the ACS office at 337-8301.

The luminary bags can be purchased for any donation. They can be decorated before they are placed on the field. The Tiki torches are $30 and can be picked up Sunday morning and taken home after the Relay. The eternal flames, candle-holding vases, also can be picked up and taken home and put in a flower garden, Walker said.

There are a limited number of the eternal flames and Tiki torches. If there are any left over, they can be purchased at the event.

Relay for Life donations support cancer research and provide services to those whose lives are touched daily by the disease.