Relay For Life is an American Cancer Society event where no one fights cancer alone. At the Relay For Life, cancer survivors are invited to walk the first lap in a celebration of victory against their battle with cancer. In 2007, over $8 Million was raised at 74 South Carolina Relay For Life events for the American Cancer Society. Greenville.com is a proud sponsor of Greenville and Anderson Counties Relays for Life.

CPM Federal announced their commitment to become the first South Carolina state sponsor for the American Cancer Society. President and CEO, George Lockwood, stated that staff was polled to find out what community service organization they wanted to be involved with in 2008 and thus the American Cancer Society was chosen. CPM Federal will donate $150,000 to the Society and will donate nearly 1000 hours of service to the organization during 2008.

"By choosing the American Cancer Society, our staff continues to be dedicated to our community service goals of helping people", Lockwood said. "I cannot be more proud of staff for taking on this great cause."

Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs of your American Cancer Society. Teams of family members, friends, co-workers, and others join together each year to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and make a difference in the community. In honor of those who battle cancer 24 hours a day, team members typically take turns walking the track throughout the day and night. For those not walking, there is around the clock action to keep everyone busy. From entertainment, food and games to touching ceremonies and stories of inspiration, there is something for everyone at Relay For Life. Every unique Relay For Life is truly a community event, where new friends are made, old friends are hugged and hearts are touched by the magic that is Relay. It is an event like no other.

At every Relay For Life event, we celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer through our Survivor's Lap and survivor recognition. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight. We also remember loved ones lost to the disease with our Luminaria Ceremony. At Relay, people who have walked alongside those battling cancer can grieve and find healing. Finally, we fight back against cancer because everyone has been touched by cancer and we want to put an end to the disease. The American Cancer Society is determined to ultimately eliminate cancer as a major health threat. While striving to reach this goal, the American Cancer Society works daily to save more lives until a cure is found.

The immediate goal of saving more lives must be accomplished largely through public education on the prevention and early detection of cancer, education of the medical community on the latest advances in diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels for cancer-related legislation.

The ultimate goal of total cancer control can be reached through research. Scientists supported by American Cancer Society funds are continuing to make breakthroughs that can increase the number of lives saved. Since 1946, the year the American Cancer Society awarded its first research grant, the Society has invested more than $2.5 billion in research. The investment has paid rich dividends: in 1946, only one in four cancer patients were alive five years after diagnosis; today almost 60 percent live longer than five years.

Whether you have participated in a Relay For Life before, or if you have never attended a Relay and would like to learn more about your community event, please join in for the event in your area. For more information and to locate your local event, please visit www.screlayforlife.org or call the American Cancer Society Upstate Office toll free at 1-866-227-4395.

(Image provided by the American Cancer Society.)

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