It’s been one year since Kelly Kallies lost her battle with cancer at age 35, leaving behind her husband, Mike, and their two children. The same night, after returning from hospice, the Kallies family walked to Memorial Field for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.
“That was quite a tear-jerker,” said Gail Yatso, of Oconto Falls, the Relay for Life event chairman.
Mike Kallies will return for Friday’s Relay for Life to read the messages on the luminarias, decorated bags made in memory of or in honor of a loved one affected by cancer. Candles are placed inside the bags, and the bags are placed around the track where relay participants walk for the six-hour event.
“It’s something I can do to help those in need,” Kallies said. “We were given so much support, so anything we can give back, we will.”
He said his two children will create luminarias in memory of Kelly, like they did a year ago.
“It’s a great way to remember those who’ve been lost to cancer,” he said.
It’s also a tribute to people dealing with the disease and their family members, he added.
Ginny O’Harrow, of Oconto Falls, will be one of the survivors attending Friday’s event.
She will present a survivor’s speech at the opening of the Relay for Life, telling about her treatment for stage II invasive breast cancer, diagnosed in February 2013. O’Harrow underwent surgery with breast reconstruction, then five months of chemotherapy. The staff of the Oconto Falls clinic of Green Bay Oncology asked her to tell her story at the relay.
O’Harrow said she’s never attended the event but is looking forward to meeting others who have been through similar experiences.
“I think it’s going to be somewhat impactful to see so many people together that are all for the one cause,” she said.
She plans to tell about “the little things you do to get yourself through it,” and share the memory that is dearest to her heart. The night before her surgery, her husband, Joel, took their four sons, ages 3, 6, 7 and 18, shopping for gifts and bought her a bracelet and pen decorated with sequins.
“Every time I went to chemo they said, ‘Mom, do you have your bracelet on?’ I always had to wear my bracelet when I did anything. They’re sweet,” she said.
She’ll also tell about the compassionate staff at Green Bay Oncology.
“It was always nice to see them and nice to visit with them,” she said. “To me it felt like we were more like friends chatting in a room than it felt like I was a patient getting chemo. I really appreciated that.”
The Relay For Life, marking its 19th year in Oconto County, raises money for the American Cancer Society. Teams and individuals will compete in contests and walk laps around the Memorial Field track in Oconto Falls from 6 p.m. to midnight.
The event opens with a Survivor Victory Lap to honor all cancer survivors. Caregivers join the survivors in the Caregiver Lap, the second lap of the night. The walking then continues until a closing ceremony at 11 p.m.
The relay previously lasted from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday but was cut short this year as a way to increase participation, Yatso said. Registration fees also changed, from $150 for a team to $10 per person. Individuals are also encouraged to collect donations for the American Cancer Society.
“Everyone’s invited to take part,” Yatso said. “I’m sending out a big invite to all the survivors. There’s a big cake for them and a special T-shirt and registration. We really want to give them an honor.”
The birthday cake provided by the American Cancer Society represents “more birthdays, more lives being saved.”
The Oconto County Relay for Life raised about $15,000 last year, and Yatso hopes to top that amount in 2014 for the American Cancer Society.
“It’s their biggest money-raiser for research, for finding a cure,” she said.
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