What a Relay!

By Tiffiny Woo
Published: May 5, 2008

When does one become a survivor?
Keleigh Gary says she became a survivor the moment she heard her doctor utter those five life-altering words: I’m sorry, you have cancer.
The 32-year-old mother heard those words on Sept. 1, 2006. The doctor told her she had brain cancer in her left frontal lobe, the part of the brain that controls speech and motor skills.
Like so many cancer patients, her condition quickly went from bad to worse - but she is a survivor.
When seizures caused by her condition stole her independence, making her unable to drive or keep her son at home alone, she pressed forward. When her surgeries didn’t turn out the way she would have liked, she refused to give up. When the headaches became more frequent and then constant, she kept going. When the doctors told her the cancer was back, she prayed louder.
And when the survivors walked the first lap on Friday at the Barbour County Relay for Life, Keleigh Gary walked with them.
“I pray to God every morning for just one more day,” said Gary.
Following the survivor’s lap, the Eufaula High Lady Tigers joined in for a lap as Eye of the Tiger played.
Gary was the survivor guest speaker Friday night as numerous citizens of Eufaula and Barbour County came out to support cancer research and to honor survivors of the disease.
On Friday night, the committee announced that the event had raised $134,500 so far. Chairman Chris Wortz has no doubt they will reach their goal of $136,000 by August.
“We’ve got a lot of sponsorship donations out there, sort of a ‘check is in the mail’ type situation,” he said. “We have until August to make goal.”
Wortz estimated that the Relay drew its largest crowd to date on Friday, even topping last year’s attendance. He said there were approximately 2,500 people at the event on Friday night. There were more than 100 survivors who attended the survivor dinner before the event.
As in years past, Relay Idol was a big hit with the crowd. Local talent Calen Ates won the contest, singing a song from High School Musical 2, “Bet on It.”
“I’m very proud of our committee and team captains for all their hard work,” said Wortz. “A special thanks to the sponsors, as well.”