Friday was a celebration of birthdays at EastSide Centre’s track — birthdays celebrating years of surviving cancer and birthdays honoring years of fundraising efforts.
For East Peoria’s Relay For Life team Geri’s Angels, members celebrated their sixth birthday.
“We lost my mom to cancer six years ago,” said Colleen Kahl, 34, of East Peoria, while walking the track. “It’s all about her legacy. It’s all about family.”
Kahl, along with her seven siblings, her father and other family members walked together at the Relay, which ran all through the night and into the morning hours.
Together they honored Geri Kahl, who lost a battle with colon cancer.
“She was very warm and loving,” her daughter said. “I think she would just love that we were out here together. ... It’s not just about those we’ve lost but also about those fighting the fight.”
Geri’s Angels were easily spotted from the stands sporting bright orange shirts decorated with humming birds.
“My mom is represented by the humming birds. She loved them,” she said. “My dad still puts out the humming bird feeders each year.”
A total of 18 teams took part in this year’s relay, said Myra Hornibrook American Cancer Society’s organizer for the East Peoria Relay. In total, this year’s event raised a little more than $55,000.
“The American Cancer Society is the official sponsor of birthdays,” said Hornibrook, adding “birthdays” was the theme this year. “With every year, they celebrate another year surviving.”
The reality is that many individuals do not survive the deathly disease.
This year, nearly 570,000 Americans are expected to die of cancer, more than 1,500 people a day, according to the American Cancer Society. In fact, cancer accounts for nearly one of every four deaths.
The evening events included a birthday celebration for about 60 cancer survivors in attendance and a luminary ceremony at night honoring those who have died.
One person from each team was expected to walk the track throughout the night.
For Melody Tisdale, a nine-year volunteer with the relay, the luminary ceremony is her favorite part of the festivities.
“It’s nice to remember why we’re here,” she said, adding her grandmother also died of colon cancer. “It’s no longer a death sentence.”
Tisdale is a member of Relay team Super Freakin’ Fantastic, a name choosen because “everyone who helps to fight cancer is a super hero,” she said.
Hornibrook said she was very pleased with this year’s event.
“The event was a huge success,” Hornibrook said afterwards. “Everyone is thinking about next year already.”
