By Shelby Siert, Staff Writer for The Banner WRHS

Unfortunately, cancer is a part of our lives. Few are unaffected by the disease, from close friends, family and even ourselves. According to the American Cancer Society one in three Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Cancer is more than a disease. It affects us all, as a community and a nation. A cure for cancer has engaged many worldwide, dating back to when cancer first began to make headlines; although research for cancer continues to progress, no cure has been found. What should be a national issue, hammered to politicians and funded fully, can be subsided compared to other issues.

This is where Relay for Life comes in. Ran by the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life is a night long event taking place at Everitt Middle school on August 15-16. The event symbolizes a fight with cancer, starting in the evening as the sun fades, symbolizing the darking fear that cancer brings. Groups camp out all night participating in the free music and food. Part of the event is walking around a track, teams are asked to have one participant walking around the track at all times, symbolizing that cancer does not sleep.

Freshman Tom Meiers is working hard to prepare Relay for Life as co-chairman. Meiers has been volunteering at Lutheran Hospital for the past three years and has become very involved in volunteer opportunities in the community. "Some people do it for college credit. I just do it because my life is good and if there is any way I can help someone else."

This is the first Relay for Life for Meiers and Wheat Ridge, and like any new or old event, volunteers are what make the event come together. Students interested in participating should come to the committee meetings taking place twice a month, which will be announced.

Students who plan to participate in the event are urged to start gathering teams together and fundraising for Relay for Life. Meiers urges anyone to get involved,

"Anyone who wants to help, be on a committee, plan, walk on the day, there are so many different things you can do." Goals of Meier's are to really make Relay for Life a Wheat Ridge Event, getting students excited about raising money and participating.

"I would like to see Wheat Ridge really involved, with lots of clubs coming together as a whole, one whole high school."

Cancer is the number two cause of death in America, just after heart disease, however over the years diseases such as heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, and Pneumonia Influenza have all drastically lowered in death rates, but cancer has only slightly declined over the years.

The fact that cancer has become so abundant makes cancer personal to each person. "You can't go far without finding someone with cancer or who knows someone," senior Hannah Smith says. Smith's older brother battled bone cancer her sophomore year in 2006.

"Definitely the rug pulled out from under you, things that used to be important like who was dating who, typical high school stuff seemed really trivial compared to having an older brother who could be dying or someone who has cancer." Smith hopes that Relay for Life will not only raise money for cancer research but awareness. "Awareness raises money for cancer."

It was hard for Smith to see her older brother have to go through what he did. "You always expect he is okay since he is your older brother." Smith's advice for students knowing someone going through cancer is to, "Be supportive...My friends were there for me, but couldn't really understand, they had never gone through that before." Smith agrees that, "Not a lot of headway has been made," regarding cancer research. Hopefully Relay for Life endorses the cancer movement that is going on, helping to honor former cancer patients, survivors and future survivors.