Julie Druker | Jun 24, 2015


For her final year as chair, it was not a surprise that at this year's Relay for Life opening ceremonies, which took place on June 20 at the Parham fairgrounds, Lesley Merrigan called Tonya Eastman to the stage and dedicated the 2015 Relay to Eastman's mother, Claire Macfarlane, whom Merrigan called the First Lady of the North and Central Frontenac Relay for Life.

Together they unfurled a banner recognizing Claire for her efforts as the Parham relay's founder and the person who inspired Merrigan to take the torch and run with it. Merrigan has led the charge with much poise and dedication over her four years as chair. This year's relay was her first since Claire passed away just one month ago on May 20, and it was an emotional one for Lesley.

The relay took place under sunny skies and a total of 15 teams and 152 participants took part. Past relays were all-night events that took place from dusk to dawn. This was the first 12-hour relay and it proved to be a moving and memorable one, with a stellar line up of local musicians entertaining the relayers and a number of fun activities that took place.

Emceed by Jim MacPherson and Lindsay Fox, the opening ceremonies included a number of guest speakers. Central Frontenac Mayor, Frances Smith, spoke, saying how small communities are making a huge contribution to cancer research and support for local residents.

Penny Cota was this year's survivor speaker and following her speech a mass of yellow-shirted survivors took to the field, making the first lap to the sounds of Shawn McCullough's original and fitting tune titled “Fight”.

Doug Kane, unit manager at the Kingston Lennox and Addington Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), thanked the participants and explained exactly how the funds raised stay in the local community and fund prevention programs and screening, advocacy programs, information services, peer support and transportation services. He cited statistics like the fact that in 2014 in Frontenac Lennox and Addington, the CCS funded over 5600 trips for cancer patients, covering 157,000kms.

Chris O'Callahan, senior investigator with the National Cancer Institute of Canada, a research and clinical trials group based out of Queens University in Kingston and a national scientific research program of the Canadian Cancer Society, spoke in depth about his organization's work, which includes trials of new drugs, new surgeries and new treatments and how these trials that run nationally and internationally are helping to make advances in cancer research and survivor outcomes.

While this year will be Merrigan's last as chair, she was quick to add that her days of helping are definitely not over. She thanked the participants and the sponsors and said that this community continues to “blow her away with their overwhelming support and generosity for this event”.

This year's Relay raised $45,200, and including this year’s total, since 2007 the North and Central Frontenac Relay for Life has raised over $452,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society.

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