Join cancer survivors and those who have lost loved ones to this disease, at the annual La Mirada Relay for Life, the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. This special event begins on Saturday, May 19th at 9 am and concludes on Sunday, May 20th at 9 am. This event will be held at Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center.
The La Mirada Relay for Life brings the community together to remember loved ones that were lost to cancer, honor survivors, create cancer awareness, and raise money to help the American Cancer Society make a global impact in the fight against this disease.
Relay for Life is a team fundraising event where team members take turns walking around a designated path. Each team is asked to have a member on the path at all times to signify that cancer never sleeps. Cancer patients don’t stop because they’re tired, and for one night, neither do the participants.
Each team sets up a campsite at the event and continues their fundraising efforts by collecting donations for food, goods, games, and activities. This money will count towards their overall team fundraising goal.
One person can make a difference. In May 1985, Dr. Gordon “Gordy” Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Washington, raising money to help the American Cancer Society with the nation’s biggest health concern: cancer.
Gordy spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at the University of Puget Sound. Friends, family, and patients watched and supported him as he walked and ran more than 83.6 miles and raised $27,000 through pledges to help save lives from cancer. As he circled the track, he thought of how he could get others to take part. He envisioned having teams participate in a 24-hour fundraising event. The next year, 19 teams were part of the first Relay at the historical Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000.
Gordy passed away August 3, 2014, at the age of 71 from heart failure after battling stomach cancer. But his legacy lives on. He helped shape an idea that started as one man walking and running a track and helped turn it into a global event raising over $5 billion to help save lives throughout the world.
This event is open to the public at no cost. Click here for additional information or to join the event.