Spring Valley to Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back Against Cancer

A sobering fact: According to the American Cancer Society, half of all men and one-third of all women in the U.S. will develop cancer. When you take into account all the family and friends who make up a cancer patient’s support network, that means nearly every American citizen is affected by cancer one way or another.

While troubling, those statistics can encourage efforts to combat the tragic disease. Community-based events such as Relay for Life are the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising activity, which brings together current patients, survivors and their loved ones and “gives them a sense of shared purpose,” said Michelle Gonzales-Lopez, a manager and organizer of the Relay for Life event in Spring Valley on Saturday, Aug. 27.

Held at Spring Valley Middle School from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, the overnight event will feature sponsored teams camping out on the school’s playing field, while each member takes turns walking or running around the track. This is the first time Spring Valley will be host to a Relay for Life event, and Gonzales-Lopez emphasized that residents of Mount Helix are welcome to participate—even though the area overlaps with La Mesa, which has hosted a similar event for the last five years.

The goal for the Spring Valley Relay for Life is to gather around 300 participants, honor at least 24 cancer survivors, and raise at least $24,000 toward cancer research and education. In order to reach those goals, Gonzales-Lopez pointed out that she is relying on “guerrilla-based marketing” such as word of mouth, homemade fliers and brochures, and recognition by local service clubs and churches instead of traditional advertising methods, which tend to be costly.

“We are very diligent in how we spend our funds,” said Gonzales-Lopez.  “We would much rather recruit volunteers and tap into their own networks to spread the word than spend money that could go toward research and education.”

According to the Gonzales-Lopez, the American Cancer Society is the largest private funder of cancer research in the U.S., with 72 cents of every dollar raised going directly to a variety of research institutes.  Specifically, the organization aims to fund researchers in the beginning of their careers, supporting cutting-edge ideas and approaches. The strategy has paid off; of the researchers chosen for society funding, 44 have gone on to win the Nobel Prize.

Additionally, a good portion of countrywide-raised funds goes to firms within San Diego County, which boasts a high concentration of pharmaceutical and biological research facilities.

Aside from direct research, over 20 cents per fundraising dollar goes toward educational efforts and free programs and services, such as food delivery, free wigs, cosmetology classes and more. The rest of the raised funds are spent on overhead costs to keep the society a driving force in the fight against cancer.

While the American Cancer Society is serious about their objective of eradicating all forms of cancer, the Relay for Life event will be infused with fun. Music will fill the air as a DJ spins tunes for the full 24 hours, in addition to a solo guitarist performing during dinner. There will also be a Kid’s Zone with free face-painting and educational activities, plus food for sale (all proceeds go to the cause), a dance studio providing free dance lessons and much more.

“Above all,” said Gonzales-Lopez, “this event is about more than fundraising—it’s about celebrating, remembering and fighting back,” the three pillars of the Relay for Life mission which will be represented by their own ceremonies during the event: a Survivor Ceremony to celebrate those who have fought the disease and won; a Luminaria Ceremony to remember those we have lost, and a Closing Ceremony to remind everyone to fight back with everything they have against the No. 2 cause of death in the U.S.

More information on the Spring Valley Relay for Life event is available online, or by contacting Michelle Gonzales-Lopez at (619) 838-4495 or michelle.gonzales@cancer.org.