By JENNIFER WYATT
newsroom@newsandtribune.com
JEFFERSONVILLE —
When Jackie Bowen was diagnosed with colon cancer 30 years ago, she was raising eight children and praying that she would be around to see it through. She did, and Friday she celebrated at the Clark County Relay For Life held at Jeffersonville High School.
“This relay is going beautifully,” Bowen said. “Everything is in place. I’ve been coming here for years now and it always goes off without a hitch. It’s a terrific relay here.”
Bowen and her grandson, Shawn, 6 of Charlestown, were named this year’s Relay For Life honorary chairs. Shawn was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2008.
“It was really special,” Bowen said, “We had some funny little things about this when he was going to cancer camp last year, when he signed up he said, ‘Grandma I will talk to my doctors and see if you can come too.’ He and I have had a little bond. He’s always been really special to me and now it’s even more so because he can relate to me also.
“He knows I’ve gone through the same thing he has gone through but not quite as much as he has. I just went through surgery and he has two more years of chemo. It’s fun to see him out there having fun tonight. It’s something we have in common so it’s a natural thing for us to do this tonight together.”
This year’s theme for the event was “Hope Around the World: Joining the Worldwide HOPE for a Cure.” Clark County joined this worldwide hope in big way, raising more than $128,000. Around 1,500 people turned out for the event; included were 55 teams, at least 165 survivors and about 1,000 luminaries.
“The turnout is spectacular,” said Lynne Choate, Relay for Life Planning Committee member. “It’s coupled with beautiful weather, and a huge turnout of survivors. Teams are camping and raising money on site and everyone is really into the spirit of Relay.”
One of the teams camping and raising money at relay was The Murphy Clan — a team of generations. The team’s captain, Kim Stamper, said the team was made up of her father, three sisters, their children, her aunt and her cousins. They raised almost $3,000 this year.
“My mother and father started this team 15 years ago,” Stamper said. “We lost our mother three years ago to ovarian cancer and we continue this in her memory.”
The Murphy Clan paid tribute to those they know that have lost or are fighting a battle with cancer by putting the name of each person on a poster. The poster acknowledged 22 people, all of which Stamper said were family or friends.
“Cancer affects so many,” Stamper said. “It has affected our family so many times.”
In addition to team campouts, other annual events at the Clark County relay were the survivor lap, caregiver lap, fun laps and luminary ceremony. Alana Baker, American Cancer Society’s Development Representative, said it was important that the survivors felt special and that everyone left with a positive experience.
For Bowen, the 2010 Clark County Relay for Life did just that.
“I feel very honored,” Bowen said. “I feel like I’m amongst a bunch of heroes. All these caretakers and survivors and to be chosen with my grandson to do this is a real pleasure. It’s a real honor. I feel my life is very blessed.”
