BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. -- Millions of people are affected by cancer every year. The American Cancer Society aims to support those individuals every year through Relay For Life events across the country. One of those events took place early Saturday Morning in Bonita Springs.
The event brought together cancer survivors, caretakers, and supporters to raise awareness and finds for research to support those battling all forms of cancer. One of the speakers was Virginia Bernstorf who was diagnosed with bladder caner 14 years ago.
She got involved with Relay For Life after both of her brothers were diagnosed four years before she was. The experience made her want to be extremely proactive about her own health.
“I had to have the surgery but I did not have to have any of the treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, etc.", she told Four in Your Corner.
Berstorf has been in remission ever since then and raises money every year for the American Cancer Society with her own team; The Sassy Survivors of Citrus Park. They've raised close to $40,000 in their time doing the relay.
Another person lending a hand for the relay, Lori Howard. Howard got involved after her daughter was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoma in 2016. it was volunteers who were involved with Relay For Life who helped her while her daughter was getting treatment.
“I had some really great friends that would do things like bring me food, They got me into an organization that would help me with transportation with getting her to her appointments and things like that\", she said.
Now, Howard's daughter is in remission, and she's hoping to provide support similar to what she received by volunteering with Relay For Life.
