Bigfork Relay for Life set for July 15

Cancer never sleeps, and on the night of July 15, neither will the crowd of survivors, volunteers and team members participating in the annual Bigfork Relay for Life.

The event, which raises funds for the American Cancer Society, will run from 6 p.m. on July 15 to 8 a.m. on July 16 at the Bigfork High School track. There will also be a free dinner for all cancer survivors beginning at 5 p.m.

“A lot of people have participated in Relay for Life in the past, but don’t really understand why it goes all night,” said American Cancer Society member Carrie Nowlen. “The idea is that cancer never sleeps, and we won’t either. A cancer patient’s darkest hour is two, three, four o’clock in the morning, and we will stay with them through the night,” she said.

Nowlen, who is involved in the organization of all of the Relays in Flathead and Lincoln counties, emphasized that the Relay for Life is not intended to be a race.

“A lot of people think you have to run, but that is not the case. You don’t actually have to run,” Nowlen said. “The main focus is having at least one person from your team on the track supporting the survivors all night long. That’s why it is called a relay,” she said.

According to Nowlen, money raised at Relay for Life events across the country make up approximately 50 percent of the American Cancer Society’s annual budget.

Last year, 33 communities throughout Montana hosted Relay for Life events, pulling together a combined total of more than $2.4 million for the American Cancer Society.

That money goes toward the organization’s efforts in cancer research, early detection and prevention, college scholarships for cancer survivors and patient support programs.

On a local level, American Cancer Society funds have been used toward Flathead County Health Department prevention programs and the Montana Quit Line.

The group was also a huge supporter of the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act, which requires all enclosed public places and workplaces to be smoke free.

“Prevention, at this point, is the only cure we have for cancer, so it is really important,” Nowlen said.

Funds are also allocated to the patient housing program, which provides free or discounted hotel stays to cancer patients who must travel 50 miles or 90 minutes — whichever comes first — to undergo treatment.

“That has been huge here, because KRMC (Kalispell Regional Medical Center) has really become a central cancer treatment facility for this area,” Nowlen said.

Participating local hotels include the Hampton Inn, the Red Lion and the Best Western White Oak Grand.

“They are providing comfortable accommodations and really saving people a lot of money,” Nowlen said.

The Road to Recovery program also receives funding from the American Cancer Society. The program enlists volunteers to drive patients to and from their treatment sessions. Since January 2008, Montana residents have received nearly 3,800 rides.

One of Nowlen’s favorite American Cancer Society programs is Look Good…Feel Better, which provides a monthly beauty workshop for female cancer patients.

Licensed cosmetologists teach the women how to deal with the visible effects of their treatment, such as missing eyebrows or swollen faces, using products that have been approved by oncologists.

The program also provides free scarves and wigs, most of which are brand new.

“You see women walk in completely dejected, because when they look in the mirror they don’t recognize the person they see,” Nowlen said. “And this program is so great, because it helps them realize that regardless of what has happened to them, they can still feel beautiful.”

Even those who have not joined a Relay for Life team are welcome to come to the event, Nowlen said. It is free to the public and will feature plenty of fun activities, musical performances and food items.

There will be a luminaria lighting ceremony at 10:30 p.m. To purchase a candle to remember or honor a loved one, call Glacier Bank at 728-1004.

This year’s Relay committee members have named Bigfork resident and longtime Relay for Life participant Pat McBride as the event’s grand marshal.

McBride, who is a two-time cancer survivor and is currently undergoing another round of treatment, will be honored by this year’s committee members, who will walk a lap in her honor.

At 8 a.m. the morning after the Relay, there will be a sports-themed egg hunt for younger children. At that time, participants will also be provided with coffee and cookies from Brookies Cookies.

For more information on the Bigfork Relay for Life, call Jenny Johnson at 212-5175. To register for the survivor dinner, call Susan Kratt at 837-5035.