HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2012-07-04, Page 12Teams unite for 'relay' event
Cheryl Heath
Bob'I'skey did not know he had cancer
until it was too late.
I lis wife, Barb, recalls that he was set to
retire at the age of 55 following a 30 -year
teaching career in Sarnia, when he went
to a doctor, complaining of hip pain.
•�As it turned out, the pain was caused by
�.Incer, which had already spread so far
chemotherapy was not an option. Bob
died two months slay of the month he was
set to retire.
"It was really, really devastating," says
Barb. "We were ready for the second half
of our life to begin and it was over."
Barb says her husband was strong dur-
ing the battle.
"He never complained," she says. "Ile
was very brave about it."
That year, and every year since, Barb
and her family, including sons Adam and
Matt, have participated in the Relay for
Life to benefit the Canadian Cancer Soci-
ety. For the first three years, the Teskeys
participated in the event in their native
community of Sarnia but since moving to
the area three years' ago, the Teskey family
now considers the Grand Bend relay as
their base.
As the lot of 10 of them, including
extended family, set up their 'family ties'
themed campsite on Friday, Barb reports
the family raised about $5,700 in 2010,
and about $5,750 this year for the cause.
Among the Teskey's campsite accou-
trements were beads and gadgets to
hand out to other revelers. Meanwhile,
the Teskey uniform, at least for the girls,
included jean skirts affixed with an
array of men's ties.
"We bought out the thrift shops with
ties," laughs Barb.
Patti Leschled, of Grund Bend, is herself
a cancer survivor.
SIMON DESJARDINE
CFP, CLU, RHU, EPC
C.rWleif Fres 1.! ri.rame?, ' -
Chartered 14f. timkrwriter
519-238-6399
55 Ontario St. N. Grand Bend
• Investment Funds • RRSP's
• Insurance • Mortgages
"Is Hii wss ale. liar 2000,0w passim, L )ow wens."
Colonial Parking Lot
Wednesdays 8 am - 1 pm
Local Produce This Week
*Raspberries *Lettuce *Herbs
*Potatoes *Plus Local Meats
and more...
Iwww.grandbendfarmersmarkct.ca
Leschied's journey began
when a routine checkup in
January 2009, led to an
ovarian cancer diagnosis.
The London elementary
school teacher says ever
since that moment, the
amount of support she has
received from both family,
including from her parents
who are both cancer survi-
vors, and friends has been
phenomenal.
"People were there for
me;" she says.
As such, Leschled
joined with two other
cancer survivors, along
with family and friends,
to form the Remember
Overcome Appreciate
and Rejoice (ROAR)
team on Friday night,
which is a group that
raised more than $1,000
for the relay.
Leschied reports team
members hail from Lon-
don, Sarnia and Grand
Bend and it is their first
time out for the cause.
"I marked my first year
of survival last year and I
thought then it was time
to help out," she says.
In welcoming the sur-
vivors, Canadian Cancer
Society volunteers and
their families, friends and
supporters, Lambton
Shores Councillor Dave
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 3
Cancer survivor Mary Rogers claps as she starts off the first survivor relay' Friday night at Klondyke Park near Grand Bend.
Five-year-old Rylan Teskey stands in front of the Teskey family, who used the 'Family Ties' theme, during the relay. Ten -year-
old Kate Mdlhargey stretches beside her mom, Val, before the relay begins. Kate raised more than $1,000 for the cause
through canvassing and yard sales.
Maguire sung the praises
of the society and its
backers during the
12 -hour celebration's
opening ceremony.
"I think you folks here
are the heroes ... you're
giving of yourselves to a
noble cause," he says. "All
of the proceeds from
these events go to a noble
cause, and we will beat
cancer."
In giving thanks to relay
volunteers and support-
ers, Canadian Cancer
Society spokeswoman
Carol MacDougall says
cancer "can be beaten."
Pointing to statistics that
show the survival rate sat
at about 25 per cent in the
1960s and over 60 per
cent today, McDougall
says there is much more
work to be done in the
fight.
She notes that on a local
level, more than 200,000
kilometres in travel were
wracked up in Lambton
County alone in 2010 with
volunteers driving survi-
vors to treatment.
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS!
PEADLINES
Our Weekly Deadlines are as follows:
ALL ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL
Friday @ 2:00 pm
Office Hours: Mon. & Fri. - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Tues. - Thurs. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Among the many event
supporters and survivors on
hand Friday were 10 -year-old
Kate Ilhargey, of Lucan, who
raised more than $1,000 for
the cause through canvassing
and yard sales.
Kate told the crowd she
raised the money in honour
of her baseball coach who is
battling breast cancer and
her friend's mom who is
recovering from breast
cancer.
ATTENTION READERS
Take advantage of our pricing for
HAPPY NOTES
Includes: Birthdays, Anniversaries
Weddings, Engagements, Graduations etc.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 1
(Name Person)
Actual Size: Pre -Payment is Required
Just bring In your photo & write-up and well do the rest.
Other Sizes & Prices available upon request.
58 Ontario St., N.
Grand Bend
(519) 238-5383