A combination of sleep depravation and euphoria swept over Mary Williamson as she told of record-breaking feats accomplished during last weekend’s Relay for Life. Funds raised on Kaua‘i for cancer education, advocacy, research and direct services to those diagnosed with
A combination of sleep depravation and euphoria swept over Mary Williamson as she told of record-breaking feats accomplished during last weekend’s Relay for Life.
Funds raised on Kaua‘i for cancer education, advocacy, research and direct services to those diagnosed with cancer will be over $115,000 after expenses, “which is record-breaking for Kaua‘i.
“Really astounding. It exceeded all our expectations,” said Williamson, executive director of the American Cancer Society Kaua‘i unit.
At least one team, the Bottoms Up gang made up of a group of friends all affected by colon cancer, raised over $15,000, giving them purple-level status.
The Kauai Medical Clinic ‘Ele‘ele Clinic squad raised over $14,000, and also won the best campsite award for their surf-themed “The Big Kahunas” tent.
The best costumes award went to the All Saints Angels, from All Saints Church in Kapa‘a. They dressed as angels.
Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society at Kaua‘i Community College, won the award for best cancer-control message. The students built a giant model of a colon, complete with polyps, at one end of the Hanapepe Ball Park field.
Colon cancer is the number-two cause of cancer deaths on Kaua‘i, and colonoscopies can detect cancerous polyps which can be removed, thus curing the disease, Williamson said.
Men and women over the age of 50 should get colonoscopies, she added.
When Williamson was reached Tuesday afternoon for walk results, she said she was “recovering” from the weekend. While she didn’t walk all night in the event that ran from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, she was up all night, she said.
Around 50 teams participated, and several of them raised $10,000 or more, qualifying them for diamond-level status. At the peak of participation, there were an estimated 700 people at the park, she added.
There were over 100 cancer patients and survivors who took part in the honorary first lap around the park, and health fairs and activities that ran all night with the event were well-attended, she said.
Members of the 50-plus teams collected pledges and held a variety of fund-raisers in advance of the event, where at least one team member was required to be walking around the park for the entire 12 hours.
There were over 3,000 luminarias (candles in paper bags) ringing the football field, each with the name of a cancer victim, survivor or fighter, and many decorated by the children of the island.
The weather cooperated, so many of the candles burned all night long, she said.
All of the money raised on Kaua‘i benefits people on Kaua‘i, she said. Education efforts include cancer-prevention education for children, and encouraging adults to be tested to assist in early detection of cancers, which can aid in their quick eradication before they spread to other parts of the body, she said.
Direct patient services can include healthy lifestyle and attitude classes, airline tickets to get advanced treatment on O‘ahu, and other help.
At dawn, all participants joined hands and sang “Hawai‘i Aloha,” signifying that everyone joining together can help fight and find cures for various types of cancers, she concluded.
Associate Editor Paul C. Curtis may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@pulitzer.net.
