Fighting back: Relay for Life brings cancer survivors together

• Balloon release

Echo Press photo by Celeste Beam During the 26th annual Relay for Life, cancer survivors, caregivers, family members and friends released balloons in honor and memory of those affected by cancer. The event, which took place last Friday and Saturday at Citizen’s Field in Alexandria, raised more than $105,000.
• Survivor and caregiver lap

Echo Press photo by Celeste Beam Cancer survivors, represented in purple shirts, walked a survivor lap and then walked another lap with their caregivers, family members and friends during the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
• Hope

Photo courtesy of Drea Eidsvold The word “hope” was illuminated with candles at dusk during the Relay for Life fundraising event Friday night.

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They celebrated. They remembered. They fought back.

Hundreds of people gathered at Jefferson High School Citizen’s Field Friday for the Douglas County American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser.

Cancer survivors, along with their families, friends, caregivers and others touched by the disease found strength through each other.

From about Friday night through the wee hours of Saturday morning, they walked around the track in a celebration of the victories they’ve achieved over cancer.

Lining the track were paper bags placed in support of cancer survivors and victims. Candles inside the bags were lit in honor of all those impacted by cancer.

Relays similar to the one in Alexandria were held across the country, bringing together more than 3.5 million people to celebrate, remember and fight back.

Tags: local news, relay for life, american cancer society, douglas county, news, cancer, fundraiser, walk, alexandria