Struggle, survival and solidarity at Midland County's Relay For Life

This year’s Relay For Life, the annual 24-hour event at the Midland County Fairgrounds that raises money to fund cancer research and find a cure, was whittled to 15 hours.

“The event keeps getting smaller,” said Veronica Cassaday, 43 of Hope.

But with a father who died and mother and sister survivors, she’s not one to give up on the local fundraiser. It was the fourth time Cassaday attended the event, which she said gives those still fighting encouragement.

“You just hope you make a difference,” she said.

Sometimes it’s hard to see that difference. When asked if Cassaday could see the impact she’s made, the words escaped her. She shook her head in frustration, and took a long pause.

“It’s still around,” an emotional Cassaday said. “It’s still a nasty disease.”

She didn’t break her brisk pace walking laps around the fairgrounds on Saturday.

“I think when you come once, you always come back,” she said.

According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly 40 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetimes. Jeremy, 25, and Kate Hurd, 27, of Midland said they know a lot of people who have cancer. Jeremy, a Midland Township firefighter, carried the couple’s one-month-old daughter, Olivia.

“It’s good that parents bring their kids out, because they may look forward to coming year after year,” he said, adding his grandma died of pancreatic cancer.

The couple agreed the social aspect of the event and its causes are important to support.

Tents set up on Saturday invited people to raise money in creative and clever ways that put a sense of personification on cancer: from cancer “suck”ers to “Peel life’s lemons, squeeze out cancer” posted on a lemonade and snow cone stand, and even a game of bra pong catered to breast cancer.

“Today is a good day to poke cancer in the eye,” one sign read.

Words on whiteboards at the center of the fairgrounds told of why people relay.

“ … So my children never have to hear the words ‘You have cancer,’” Amy Curtis wrote.

Cheryl Shattuck, a nine-year survivor, wrote she relays for herself, family and friends.

And for Sheila McCoy, it’s for her mom, mother-in-law, cousin, aunt, grandma and friends.

“Cancer has taken too much from my world and I do not intend for it to continue,” McCoy wrote.

During a fight back ceremony, organizers spoke of ways to lobby and push for legislation and local and state funding on behalf of the American Cancer Society. So far this year, 75 teams and 544 participants in Midland County’s Relay For life have raised $118,958, according to the event’s website. For more info http://bit.ly/2apyGtT