The 2010 Edgefield County Relay for Life kicked off its annual campaign at the Edgefield Town Gym last Friday night with a “Birthday” theme—celebrating less cancer, more birthdays.

This is the eighth annual Relay to be held in the county.

American Cancer Society community manager Michael Brazier and area manager Sue McLeese were among those who attended. Around 35-40 people were present for the kick-off.

Edgefield County chairperson Sharen Fay welcomed and recognized teams, survivors, past sponsors and visitors.

“We have amazing teams in Edgefield County,” she said. “It’s an amazing committee. We had a wonderful Relay in 2009. It poured down rain. But we surpassed our goal and raised $64,433. The spirit was very much there.”

And the spirit is still there, she said. The goal has been set at $60,000 for this year.

A new team was introduced, Providence Baptist, with 10 members present at the meeting. Lillie Jackson has been named team captain.

Five survivors with birthdays in January were recognized.

Bi-Lo, the top (Platinum) sponsor each year, started off this year’s Relay with a $12,154.34 donation.

Bi-Lo also has a team each year.

In keeping with the theme, Brazier gave the following information.

“We (the ACS) have contributed to a 15 percent decrease in the overall cancer death rate between the early 1990s and 2005,” he said. “That means that we helped avoid about 650,000 cancer deaths and created the potential for more birthday celebrations. Eleven million cancer survivors in America will celebrate a birthday this year.”

Brazier said across the nation, the ACS is helping people stay well by helping people quit smoking.

Since 2000, the ACS Quitline telephone counseling service has helped 400,000 tobacco users through confidential, one-on-one customized support. Their guidelines for proper nutrition and physical activity and cancer screenings help doctors and average Americans understand how to reduce cancer risk and what tests they need to find cancer at its earliest stages.

Through the clinical trials matching service, they help connect patients with more than 64,000 promising new treatments and have had a hand in nearly every major cancer breakthrough of the last century. In the fighting back process, nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population now covered by a smoke-free law can breathe easier; more than three million uninsured, underinsured and low-income women get breast and cervical cancer screening tests; and one in every 100 Americans participates in one of the 5,000 ACS Relay for Life events across the globe.

On a local level, four Edgefield Countians were helped through the Look Good, Feel Better Program last year; 12 were helped through the Reach for Recovery; 52 residents called the 1-800-ACS-2345 number; seven women received free wigs; seven eople were provided transportation assistance; and 80 women benefitted from the Best Chance Network.

Near the end of the meeting, co-chairperson and past chairperson for Edgefield County, Lynn Rearden, spoke on her personal battle with cancer.

“I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 12 years ago,” she said. “A month ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am scheduled for my surgery next week. The prognosis is good because they caught it early.”

Rearden, Emergency Room supervisor for Edgefield County Hospital, said she cannot stress enough the importance of routine mammograms.

“My cancer was small and was therefore undetected. There were no symptoms,” she said.

Fay, who serves as assistant ER supervisor with Rearden, added, “Not only is she faithful in getting her mammograms done, she makes me get mine done.”

Act lead for District 3 as a cancer advocate, Rearden goes to Washington to lobby with representatives about cancer issues. She is one of six in the state.

“We’re always watching health care reform, to see that it contains wording the ACS would like to see.” she said. “We lobby for a cigarette tax on the state level. A lot was passed on the federal level and there are now FDA regulations.”

They also push for more funding for programs such as the Best Chance Network where low-income women receive mammograms and Pap smears.

“There is currently only enough funding for one in five women to benefit,” she said. “I’m blessed to have insurance, but not everyone is.”

Rearden said the most important thing she can tell women is that they are in control of their own health and that they are important enough to ask questions.

“Don’t wait till you have a problem,” she said. “ACS has a website, www.cancer.org and a toll-free number (listed above) where you can get a live person, not a recording.”

A Team Captain’s meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Edgefield First Baptist Church, and everyone is welcome, said Rearden.

The Annual Survivor’s Dinner will be held April 29, also at Edgefield First Baptist. The Relay for Life Event will be held May 15 at Strom Thurmond High School football field.