Community embraces Relay For Life
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY Acorn Newspapers READY- Alla Bezkrovny of Oak Park unfolds her tent at the Relay For Life campsite.

When she was just 3 years old, Lauryn Wood was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancerous tumor on the side of her face.

But after 18 blood transfusions, a year of chemotherapy and a high dose of radiation, the tiny, thirdgrade Brookside Elementary student has been cancer free for almost five years.

Lauryn is among the 10 million Americans living today as cancer survivors.

"Every day that goes by is awesome," said Lauryn's mother, Cindy Wood. "We have a normal life."

Lauryn and her family joined hundreds of cancer survivors and members of groups dedicated to raising funds for cancer research, education and services at the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life last weekend.

The 24hour walkaroundtheclock fundraiser was conducted at Willow Elementary School in Agoura Hills. According to organizers, the relay was the most successful in its five-year history in Agoura Hills.

In all, more than $145,000 was raised in pledges from a record number of 57 teams, according to Ling Wu, the event's organizer.

SYLVIE BELMOND/Acorn Newspapers ROCKING THE RELAY- Lucy Levinsohn, lead singer for the band Waiting 4 Wyatt, delivers powerful entertainment on the main stage at the Relay For Life event in Agoura Hills last weekend.

The 2007 fundraising total easily surpassed last year's amount of $92,000.

"This community has really embraced this event," said Jennifer Cohen, American Cancer Society Relay For Life manager.

Supporters began pitching their tents early Saturday morning, preparing for the afternoon and evening ahead. Activities for young and notsoyoung participants were offered throughout the day.

Activities to choose from included massages, a kid's camp and races, a "Miss Relay" contest where men and women crossdressed and a frozen T-shirt event.

Tracy Cianflone, chair of the Luminaria post, handed out white paper bags for people to decorate in memory of a loved one who lost their life to cancer, in support of someone fighting the disease, or as a means to honor doctors or other people "doing the fight," Cianflone said.

The decorated bags lined the track and were illuminated with light sticks during the 9 p.m. Luminaria ceremony. Each name was flashed on a big screen behind a stage and announced to a backdrop of soothing music.

By 7:30 p.m., Cianflone had already surpassed last year's benchmark of sand scooped into the individual bags. "A lot of people have been extremely generous," Cianflone said of the donations she collected during the event.

Sheila Keckhut of Team Agoura Hills purchased several bags, all in honor of her mother, Suzanne Keckhut. Rather than decorate the bags on the field, Keckhut went home and embellished them with treasured family photographs.

Keckhut said that although her mother had a stem cell transplant to fight multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cell, she lost her battle against the disease Oct. 23 at the age of 65.

Team Agoura Hills, composed of people who work for the city, raised the most for the event, Keckhut said.

"It's fun," said Lauryn from her tiny tent about camping overnight to raise funds for cancer. "I've been here four years and I like it."

"One thing her having cancer has taught us is that every day is precious," Wood said. "Love and enjoy the people around you."