Fight Against Cancer Is Personal For Oak Lawn Relay For Life Participants

By Mary Kate Brogan

Relay For Life of Oak Lawn, presented by Advocate Christ Medical Center, celebrated its 10th fun-filled fundraiser for the American Cancer Society this Saturday and Sunday.According to the event's website, as of 8 p.m. Sunday, Relay had raised $39,453.73 with its 113 registered participants and many more walk-ons.

Interested folks can donate to Oak Lawn Relay here.

Heather Stevens and Lori Jadzak, the event co-chairs of team Hope from Hilton, welcomed the 14 teams and local survivors to the event at 2 p.m. Saturday at Oak Lawn Community Pavilion, telling them about Relay’s history and readying them for the 16-hour walk.

"The next few hours will take us on a life-affirming journey symbolizing a day in the life of someone who has cancer: a disease that never sleeps," Jadzak said.

View more photos from this year's Relay For Life event. 

Village Trustee Terry Vorderer (Dist. 4) spoke during the opening ceremony as well, talking about how cancer has affected his family, particularly his sister Monica whom he said “at this moment is in her last days, is fighting and having courageously met the challenges of this disease that was presented to her.”

After asking for a moment of silence for those who had been lost, Vorderer commended participants’ efforts toward raising money, raising hope and creating a community around confronting cancer.

The event had many light-hearted moments, like on-site fundraisers ranging from a pluck-a-duck contest to “Relay pong” to the sale of tiny trinkets like Hope magnets and bedazzled wine glasses.

But the event had a great deal of reverence to it as several teams Relayed in memory of family members or friends. Among these teams were Embrace Hope who walked for the family’s patriarch John Mlinarcik, Sr. who died of lung cancer in 2011, and Windy City who walked in memory of Adrian Briones who died of brain cancer in 2008. 

Windy City has been participating in Relay since 2009, honoring his life and ensuring that, as Team Captain Kathleen Casey says, “Adrian will never be forgotten.” 

Peggy Kupres, coordinator of the survivors’ lap and former event chair, said the event encourages families to join in because of its lack of fundraising cap and the family-oriented activities the event holds.

Kupres, a 12-year breast cancer survivor, said she has watched Oak Lawn's Relay grow over the past 10 years. She hopes more participants will consider joining next year.

"When people Relay once, they always go back," Kupres said. "The camaraderie of the event brings people back."