> SOUTHERN INDIANA — The significance of the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay For Life is not lost on Esterlena Berry.

Berry, 59, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 and participated in the relay’s survivor walk in 2007. But after winning the fight a few years before, she found herself again fighting when she was diagnosed for a second time In 2008.

“Cancer touches us all,” she said. Though she’s now cancer free, she said, the disease took her sister. Berry is now on the Clark County relay’s planning committee and has organized a team called Bless Our Souls that will participate in the event, which is set to go from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 Saturday morning at Charlestown High School.

“All that money [raised by Relay for Life] goes toward research. Hopefully we can find a cure,” she said.

Relay For Life of Floyd County is set for June 8 and June 9 from 3 p.m. to 9 a.m. at Highland Hills Middle School.

In Clark County, organizers are hoping to raise $110,000 for cancer research; in Floyd County the goal is $130,000. Allison Smith, American Cancer Society community representative, said those goals are based on the amount raised last year. There’s still time to sign up a team to walk the relay.

“They can even come out to the event” and register, she said.

American Cancer Society research grantee Tianyan Gao believes the money raised at events such as these goes a long way.

“We cannot do this alone,” Gao said in a press release.  “The American Cancer Society is doing its part in helping cancer researchers like myself to make new discoveries in the mechanism and treatment of cancer.”

Gao is an associate professor with the University of Kentucky’s Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Department. Gang Chen, who is an associate professor with the Internal Medicine Department at the same university, is another one of those grantees.

“With a down-turn of the economy and limited resources available from federal government, support from groups [like the American Cancer Society] and individuals becomes indispensable for the success of cancer research,” Chen said in the release.

American Cancer Society is the largest funder of cancer research in the country, after the government.  The money Gao has received has allowed her to hire staff and purchase the necessary equipment to jump start her research, which focuses on colon cancer. She’s studying a tumor suppressor protein named PHLPP that normally provides a check and balance in the body to prevent cancer growth.  

Loss of expression of this protein leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation and resistance to cell death as seen in cancers.  

“The long term goal of our research is to identify new diagnostic and treatment strategies in colon cancer by using our protein of interest as a target,” said Gao.

Meantime, Chen is looking into how exposure to heavy metals in the environment causes cancers.  The ultimate goal for the project is to find potential ways to prevent or cure heavy-metal induced lung cancer, in particular.  While he doesn’t have a personal connection to cancer, he knows his work is crucial.

“Cancers are major diseases that impact the lives of individuals every day,” Chen said.

“Cancer is a very complex disease.  Our research is very important because it will discover and provide more ammunition for doctors to treat cancers,” said Gao.

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature  event, focusing on hope, celebration and memory. The overnight event remembers those who have lost the fight against cancer and honors those who have survived.

As of Wednesday afternoon Floyd County relay had 615 participants and 55 teams registered, raising $29,662. In Clark County, 397 participants and 38 teams have signed up, raising $39,124.

Check out relayforlife.org/clarkin and relayforlife.org/floydin for registration information.