ELYSBURG - There couldn't have been a more appropriate chorus playing as the cancer survivors and caregivers finished their first lap Friday evening at the 2011 Relay for Life of Southern Columbia Area.
"Did you ever know that you're my hero? You're every-
thing I wish I could be," sang the familiar voice of Bette Midler from the speakers.
Moments later, Sue Bower, a physical education teacher at G.C. Hartman Elementary Center since 1978, said with revered passion: "It may take everything, but we can strike back."
Bower, a cancer survivor, was diagnosed with liposarcoma in her leg in February 2007, finished radiation treatments in June 2007 and has been cancer free ever since. Unfortunately, during her treatments, her husband lost his battle with esophageal cancer and passed away April 20, 2007.
"It was incredibly difficult," she said of herself and her two children, ages 14 and 16 at the time.
Doctors told her she might not ever walk again because many of the muscles in her leg had to be removed. While she can't run, she can walk and jog, which she did during the survivor and caregiver walk.
She was no stranger to cancer. Her father, also a survivor at age 87, had four battles over his lifetime. She described cancer as a thief in the night who has no rhyme or reason why it strikes.
Bower said this relay's goal is to cure or delay cancer's wrath.
"It is possible to beat cancer," she said.
The relay, hosted at All Home Days grounds, was kicked off at 4 p.m. Friday with 14 teams and was themed "On the Boardwalk."
"It's festive and it bring everyone together. It's relaxation on the beach and fun on the boardwalk," said Lori Kriebel, chair of the event for the past three years.
Among the activities, said Kriebel, there is a dunk tank, face painting, stands to take your photographs, excellent food and sandboxes.
"Overall, we're trying to have fun," she said. "It's tiring, being here 24 hours, but the more fun we put into it, the more energy we can build off our teams."
Kriebel's daughter, 15-year-old Tegan Kriebel, is the co-chair of the event. Despite her youthfulness, the SCA freshman has at least eight years of Relay under her belt.
"I do the same things as my mom. I just tag along," she said.
She and her mother's reason for participating in the relay stem from losing three close family members to cancer. They started first with the entertainment committee, but eventually chaired the whole event.
"We saw how many people are affected. We want to help them all, we want to help as many people as possible," said Tegan Kriebel.
Not participating is not an option, said Lori Kriebel.
"Cancer has touched our lives. Cancer has touched our family," she said.
Tegan Kriebel said she keeps doing it because she makes friends with the survivors, the activities and the helping others aspect.
"I don't want to stop helping them. I want more people ot have more birthdays," she said.
The monetary goal this year is $60,000. All money benefits the American Cancer Society.