Americans, Italians take fight to cancer, aid survivors

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Briana Jones
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
April 28 2012 --  AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- More than 3,000 U.S. and Italian citizens took the fight to cancer April 28 raising more than $14,000 for research and aiding survivors and their families during a 12-hour 'Relay For Life' event hosted by a group of base Airmen at Area D here.

This is the second year members from 31st Fighter Wing have teamed up to host the event. In 2011, the based raised more than $7,000.

"Last year, we did the first Aviano Relay For Life as an experiment to see if it would work," said Staff Sgt. George Brooks, a member of the 12-person RFL committee who hosted this year's event. "We knew we would do another one but we never could have imagined it was going to be as big as it was."

Committee members said they were amazed by the outpouring of support from the entire wing and were elated so many people were able to take part in the relay and that they could share this experience with the American and Italian community.

"Relay For Life is about coming together as a community to support each other in the fight against cancer" and Staff Sgt. Jonathan Fernandez, an RFL committee member. "Cancer does not know race, color, sex or age and that is why it was important to have our Italian community involved with this event. It shows that building partnerships between our two countries is just as important to them as it is to us."

The sense of community was evident during the opening Survivors Lap, an inspirational time when survivors are invited to circle the track together and celebrate their victories in the battle against cancer, as Sergio Zanuttigh, a 5-year carcinoma cancer survivor and husband of Staff Sgt. Kristi Craft, walked the opening lap and shared his story.

"Cancer is not always a death sentence," he said. "You can survive, and, you can live a healthy life after surviving cancer."

Fernandez, who helped organize the opening lap, said he was also glad he could take part in such a symbolic event."To be able to celebrate and honor those [who] beat cancer was truly an emotional and great experience," he said.

This year's committee, comprised mostly of the base's junior enlisted force, orchestrated a variety of events throughout the relay to entertain everyone involved. Based on a musical theme, volunteers circled the track with 16 booths selling food, beverages and other goodies with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society while participants enjoyed a variety of entertainment.

"There are plenty of families out there [who] go bankrupt to keep up with medical bills, transportation and room fees, and their everyday living costs," said Senior Airman Amber Swearengin, an RFL committee member and lifetime supporter of those with cancer having lost six family members to the disease. "By giving more to the ACS, this can help with researching more to find a cure for cancer."

Swearengin said her aunt is currently battling cancer for the third time and said her favorite part of the relay is the Luminaria Ceremony in which people can decorate a bag and place a lit candle inside honoring someone who has faced cancer.

"Every year when I light that candle, it gives me time to really think of them and how much I miss them," she said.

Relay For Life, which originated in Tacoma, Wash., in 1985, has since spread internationally to more than 600 communities in 21 countries. Although the main objective is to raise money for cancer research and aid patients, the event helps unite the international community against the fight against cancer by communicating the stories of survivors and those who lost their battle with the disease.

For more information about RFL and other events like it, go to http://www.relayforlife.org.