Cancer survivors find hope at Relay for Life
Corinne Ondraka, left, and Karen Hinckley, right, walk a lap at Relay for Life April 25 in the Indoor Athletic Complex.
Growing up, most kids need their parents to remind them to brush their teeth or to place bandages on their skinned knees.
Lacey Johnson was different.
When she was 11, she was helping her mother with those seemingly-simple tasks..
The Southgate senior became her mother’s caregiver after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. That year, she went from being a regular elementary school student to constantly missing school to take care of her mother.
In 2004, when Johnson was 11, her mother died. The loss inspired Johnson to start participating in Relay for Life, and years later, she’s the president of Colleges Against Cancer, which organizes the event.
"It was like there’s this person you spend every single day with and then they’re gone,” Johnson said. “Relay for Life helps you cope with the loss. It helps you know you’re not alone in the journey.”
Taking care of her mother forced her to grow up fast. Johnson said anyone who knows her would describe her to be “like a mom."
She said she isn’t thankful for cancer, but it has helped her become the person she is today.
“I wouldn’t be leading an event like this if cancer didn’t take away my mom,” she said. “As hard as it’s been and as many nights as I’ve cried about it, it’s been a journey and it’s been a good one. I know it’s what was supposed to happen in my life.”
Central Michigan University alumna and South Bend, Ind. resident Karen Hinckley lost her mother eight years ago to colon cancer. Last year, she was diagnosed with the disease herself and swore that it wasn’t going to get her too.
Hinckley held onto that promise; she is now a year survivor of colon cancer. She said she wakes up every morning thankful to be alive and plans on being around for the next 50 years. She’s doing everything she can to remain healthy and not to let the cancer come back.
This was Hinckley’s second year attending Relay for Life. Her daughter, senior Corinne Ondraka, brought her to the event.
“(The event) means love. A lot of love,” Hinckley said. “It’s a lot of caring and a lot of people who really want to stamp this nasty disease out.”
Seeing the large groups of people walking around and stopping at booths filled her with amazement. The amount of people who attended the event was a visual reminder that she wasn’t alone, she said.
Hinckley didn’t expect to be as emotional as she was during the survivor walk, the first lap of the relay. She felt overwhelmed by the feeling of support and love from everyone who participated.
“It’s devastating, but it can also give you a completely different outlook on life,” Hinckley said. “It gives you the chance, if you can survive it, to make a difference.”
Riverview senior Justin Southerland was diagnosed with cancer on June 14, 2012. After six cycles of chemotherapy and 20 cycles of radiation, he was deemed cancer-free Feb. 14, 2013.
The two-year survivor admits that “while it’s cliche”, having survived cancer has made him a stronger person.
“You complain a bit less,” Southerland said. “This event is not only is it about money, but it’s a celebration for life in general. It brings survivors closer together.”
He met a woman a few years ago at a Relay for Life at Michigan State University who had the same cancer as him. She relapsed shortly after meeting, but went through treatment and survived. Southerland said he saw her, full of energy, at this year's event.
“That was pretty special. With cancer, it doesn't matter who you are. You know someone who has had cancer. You know someone who knows someone who has had cancer,” he said. “If you haven’t had it yourself, then a family member has or a friend has or a friend’s family member has. It reaches to everyone. There’s no one who is not affected by cancer.”
