FF_061319

frankfortstation.com news
the frankfort station | June 13, 2019 | 3
Relay for Life honors
fight against cancer
Mary Compton
Freelance Reporter
It takes a community to
beat cancer. Just ask the
hundreds of people who
participated in the Relay
For Life of Greater Will
County.
On Saturday, June
8, participants walked
around the Lincoln-Way
North football field in honor
of loved ones no longer
here — and for those who
are in the biggest battle of
their lives.
“Today has been magical,”
said Heidi Gonzalez,
senior community development
manager for the
American Cancer Society.
“Last year, we combined
Frankfort, Mokena, Manhattan.
Crete, Monee,
Beecher and Peotone. We
are greater Will County.
They’ve been doing this
for about 17 years.
According to the American
Cancer Society website,
in 2019, there will
be more than 68,000 new
cases of selected cancers
in Illinois.
“Today we are honoring
over 60 survivors that are
here,” Gonzalez said.
The day included events
such as the survivors’ celebration,
Bake Walk, a giant
Twister game, musical
chairs and more.
“We need to celebrate
survivorship, which is
well on the rise,” Gonzalez
said. “There are more
people surviving cancer
because of the research,
because of the options. We
also know some people are
not going to make it. We
need to remember them
John Biske, of Crystal Lake, runs a mile for every
year Frankfort resident DeAnn Anzaldi beat cancer on
Saturday, June 8, at the Relay For Life of Greater Will
County held at the Lincoln-Way North football field.
Mary Compton/22nd Century Media
and continue the fight.”
The Relay for Life is the
American Cancer’s Society’s
signature fundraiser.
At this Relay for Life, 18
teams raised funds. The
top team, Rebels With
A Cause, raised almost
$8,000.
Residents in local communities
that have been
diagnosed with cancer can
seek various free services
through the American
Cancer Society office located
at 17060 Oak Park
Avenue in Tinley Park.
“We will raise about
$65,000 dollars here today,”
Gonzalez said. “Every
dollar counts. Because
of that, we get to keep up
this fight. We can fund
more research, we can
provide more wigs, we
can house people in our
Hope lodges. We also have
make-up programs for ladies
that have lost all of
their hair. A lot of people
don’t know what we can
do at no charge to the patient.
We even have volunteers
that take them to and
from treatment.”
Because of services like
these, survivors have had
community members stand
with them as they battle
the war on cancer. One of
those survivors is DeAnn
Anzaldi, of Frankfort. She
received so much support
that she is now the event
chair and has volunteered
for the American Cancer
Society since 2003.
“I was 35, when I went
for my first mammogram,”
Anzaldi said. “There is no
history of breast cancer
in my family. They saw a
spot and [I] had cancer ...
On my 36th birthday, I had
my first chemo treatment.”
She offered words of
encouragement to those
walking around the track
during the relay.
“If you’re going through
this now, find other people
that have been there and
done that,” she said. “You
are not alone. This is not
always a death sentence.
Please see relay, 6
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