For a very good cause

Almost every family in America has known a loved one who's been stricken with cancer. It is the epidemic of our time, a killer we haven't been able to conquer. According to research, 30 percent of the women and half the men in the United States will face a cancer diagnosis sometime in their lives. You can do something about it; the American Cancer Society already is.

The organization started an event in the mid-1980s called Relay for Life, a fun-filled, 24-hour walkathon held each year throughout America's communities to celebrate survivorship and raise money for Cancer Society programs and research. Local teams are again being formed to take part in the Agoura Relay For Life, which is scheduled for May 3 and 4 at Willow Elementary School. The Calabasas Relay for Life is May 17 and 18 at A.E. Wright Middle School.

Analogous to the fact that cancer never sleeps, each team tries to keep at least one member on the track at all times. The Agoura Hills event gets underway with survivor/caregiver lap and is followed by a luminaria, or candle-lighting vigil when the sun goes down.

The organization's motto says: Celebrate. Remember. Fight back. And we should.

The Relay For Life fundraiser has made great strides. Last year, the Agoura event raised about $145,000. With 90 teams and more than 1,000 participants in this year's fifth annual Relay, the goal is being set even higher.

Again, The Acorn newspaper is proud to be entering a team at the Agoura Relay. We invite you stop by and say hello, enjoy the activities and support the cause. To find out more or to offer your services as an American Cancer Society volunteer, visit: events.cancer.org/ rflagouraca, or call (805) 529-2530.