Local cancer survivors and their caregivers will take the celebratory first lap at the annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Green County event on Saturday, June 27, at the Brodhead High School Track. The survivors lap will start at approximately 4:45 p.m., immediately following the Opening Ceremony, and anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer may participate. As the survivors walk, other event participants will cheer them on in a demonstration of support and celebration. The five-year survival rate for all cancers has risen to 68 percent, and there are an estimated 14 million Americans alive today who have been diagnosed with the disease.

The Relay For Life program is a community event where teams and individuals set up campsites take turns walking or running around a track or path. Last year, over 500 people participated in Green County’s event and raised over $52,000 to support the Society’s mission to finish the fight against cancer once and for all. The money raised supports groundbreaking cancer research, education and prevention programs, and critical services for people facing cancer.

If you are a cancer survivor or caregiver and would like to take part in the Relay For Life of Green County event, visit http://www.facebook.com/RFLofGreenCountyWI or http://www.relayforlife.org/greencountywi. Additionally, you may call (608) 728-2980.