Cancer survivors walk Lap of Hope to kick-off Relay For Life

IOWA CITY – The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Johnson County will kick off Friday, June 15, at 7 p.m. with a special Survivors Lap, a moving experience honoring those who have defeated cancer.

Survivors will join together to take Relay's opening lap, unified in victory and hope, while the remaining event participants surround the track to cheer them on. Immediately following the Survivors Lap, a special lap will be held to recognize and thank all Caregivers of cancer patients and survivors.

Caregivers will be honored in a new ceremony at 8:45 p.m., just prior to the Luminaria Ceremony scheduled for dusk. Caregivers lend physical, emotional or other support to someone during their cancer journey. Caregivers include family, friends, loved ones and a patient's medical team (doctors, nurses, technicians).

If you are a cancer Survivor or Caregiver and would like to take part in the Relay For Life of Johnson County, visit www.RelayForLife.org/johnsoncountyia to sign up as a Survivor, Caregiver or join the Survivor and Caregiver Team (“Celebrating the Gold Medal of Life”). Survivors and Caregivers may also register the night of Relay For Life.

Relay For Life of Johnson County will be held at the University of Iowa Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track, located at the corner of First Ave. and Hwy. 6 in Coralville.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; by helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation's largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year.

To learn more about us or to get help, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit

cancer.org