Hundreds turn out for Relay for Life of Marlton

On the night of May 31 through the morning of June 1, more than 50 teams and 500 people gathered around the track at Cherokee High School for this year’s Relay for Life of Marlton.

Through their combined fundraising efforts, the participants helped raise more than $70,000 for the American Cancer Society and cancer research.

Across the nation this time each year, Relay for Life events take place, the culmination of year-long fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society.

Those who have survived cancer, and those who have cared for someone with cancer, along with family, friends and any person affected by the disease camp and walk around a track throughout one night to symbolize how the fight against cancer is akin to a relay race, with everyone needing to work together to win.

Among those to speak during the Marlton Relay’s opening ceremonies was Mayor Randy Brown. Brown, who lost his father, former Councilman Rich Brown, to a brain tumor 14 years ago, spoke about the mission of the crowd before him.

“Everyone out here today, you’re here to honor those who’ve passed, you’re here to honor those who have survived, and you’re here to honor those who are fighting every single day with every fiber of their being to beat this cancer,” Brown said. “That’s why you’re doing what you’re doing today.”

Brown thanked the event committee and participants for making the event possible, as Evesham did not have its own Relay event before 2009.

“I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d be looking out one day and seeing all these wonderful survivors in front of me, all these wonderful people that are here every day honoring people. Thank you for that,” Brown said.

Later during the opening ceremonies were remarks by guest cancer survivor speaker and Marlton resident Debbie Fortino, who raised more than $11,000 for this year’s Relay, and is fighting cancer for the fourth time.

Fortino gave the crowd what she considered to be important lessons she’s learned over the years from fighting cancer, including the idea to never feel sorry for yourself, which she said she learned during her first battle with cancer 25 years ago upon visiting a pediatric oncologist.

“I will never ever forget around the tables were toddlers to teenagers, hooked up to IV infusions getting their chemotherapy,” Fortino said. “Everybody in the room was bald, everybody in the room had a smile on their face, everybody in the room was interacting with the other people. They were playing games. Nobody was feeling sorry for themselves in that room, so that day, Aug. 13, 1986, I set the bar very high for self-pity because that picture is in my mind forever.”

Fortino ended her lessons by reminding people to feel the love that is given to them by others.

“When people reach out to you, take it in, because I’m feeling the love,” Fortino said. “I have raised over $11,000 for Relay for Life thanks to Facebook, friends from my childhood, friends of friends, friends of kids’ friends, coworkers, the guy at the deli, everybody. I just want to thank everybody that showed up today.”

To officially start the event, cancer survivors, cancer caregivers and all fundraising teams took the ceremonial first, second and third laps around the track.

One team at the event was Team Daniel (Relentless), made up of the family and friends looking to remember Daniel Hawkes, a Cherokee High School graduate who passed away from Ewing Sarcoma in 2012 at the age of 19.

Team members all wore yellow shirts with the word “Relentless” printed on them. Daniel’s mother Patricia Hawkes said it was Daniel’s word.

“It’s Daniel’s word ­ — relentless,” Hawkes said. “Reckless and relentless, that’s how he felt about cancer. He was going to be relentless fighting it, and he was.”

Hawkes said the event was the group’s first relay, and they were able to raise more than $2,500 just through family and friends because Daniel touched so many lives.

“We want to fight the fight,” Hawkes said. “We want there to be a cure, and we want to do our part to help people out who need help that are fighting this horrible disease and to help find a cure for all of the cancers.”