Relay For Life coming to Lake Park High School

When Kasey Gilliam's son, Joe, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at just six weeks old, the Roselle mom faced much bigger worries than the typical sleepless nights with her newborn twins.

Thanks to five rounds of chemotherapy, Joe left the hospital cancer free after five months. But the doctors and nurses weren't the only ones who helped the Gilliam family through their ordeal.

Grandparents helped watch their other children. Neighbors cooked meals. Old college friends arranged for cleaning services while the family was away at the hospital. So when Gilliam appears this weekend at the annual Relay for Life at Lake Park High School in Roselle as an honorary caregiver, she said she will represent everyone who helped her family.

"At the relay we celebrate all of the people who helped us during that difficult time (because) they are all caregivers in our minds and they are all amazing," she said.

The annual Relay for Life of Bloomingdale, Roselle and Itasca will return to Lake Park this year and expects more than 400 participants. The event celebrates and supports cancer survivors and their caregivers, and honors those who succumbed to the illness.

"It's very emotional and uplifting and I think a lot of people enjoy that aspect," said Ashley Carlson, a spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society.

The event also raises funds for the cancer society's programs in DuPage County, which include education and early prevention programs as well as research and advocacy efforts. The organization also offers patient services like a wig boutique, where chemotherapy patients can choose free wigs, and the Road to Recovery program, where volunteer drivers transport patients to and from treatments.

Last year's local event raised approximately $42,000, Carlson said.

This weekend, the Relay for Life will include a lap to honor survivors and a luminaria ceremony to honor those who died from cancer as well as entertainment, food, games and prizes. Several community organizations and Scout troops are participating as teams, while other teams have formed to support individual cancer patients.

The Relay for Life is celebrating its 25th year and has grown steadily not only at Lake Park, where it has been happening for about a decade, but throughout DuPage County, where 17 communities host events each year.

Lake Park relay organizer Maryann Grygiel, who participates to honor her cousin who survived cancer, names a simple reason for the event's popularity.

"Cancer," she said "touches everybody in some way."

<p class="factboxheadblack">Bloomingdale, Itasca and Roselle Relay For Life</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> 6 p.m. Friday, June 12, to 6 a.m. Saturday, June 13</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Lake Park High School West Campus, 500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Roselle</p> <p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> Adult participants must raise $100; children must raise $50 </p> <p class="News"><b>Info:</b> <a href="http://www.relayforliferbi.com" target="new">relayforliferbi.com</a> or <a href="mailto:mobysmom2k1@yahoo.com">mobysmom2k1@yahoo.com</a></p>