Our Stories

Katy Millwoods story:
Why I relay.... .

It started 3 years ago. I remember being told March 2005 that a close friend, Tracy, was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. I remember the feeling of disbelief and sorrow. I could not imagine how she felt or how her family felt. I did not know what to do or say, except I would be there for her and her family. As the summer approached and everyone started talking about the Relay for Life. I had heard of it, but never really known what it was about. I attended my first relay that year. I did not stay the night but realized the reason for the Relay. I knew the next year I would do all I could to raise money and walk. And I did walk. I was 8 months pregnant. I thought the next year might be a little easier to pull the all nighter.

January 2007, my sister, Joy was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. It devastated my family. She would need a bone marrow transplant in order to be cured. The problem, she was adopted, so no one in my family could help there. Again what could I do. The one thing I could do was raise money for the ACS. I had a goal of $500.00. I ended up raising $1000.00. It seems like a small thing to do but it was something tangible. I could say I helped in a small way. The Relay meant more that year than before .

Since the Relay my sister has had 2 bone marrow transplants. The doctors do not believe that the last one has worked either. So they say that there is not much they can do. She has remained fairly stable in all her blood counts. They have told her, when they drop and necessary, they will do chemo and that will prolong her life. She will not be cured. I want that to change. I want that miracle. I want it for her two children. I want it for her. I want for everyone else out there dealing with this disease.

It seems that before 2005 cancer had not really touched my life. But since then we have had friends and family deal with this disease. I pray everyday for my family and friends that have cancer. I hope that my small part will help end their battle with cancer and a cure is found. My goal for the Relay this year is $1000.00. Again this is my way of helping my sister, my friend, and everyone else that is living with cancer.

Kathryn D. Millwood, Maj, NEANG
155ARW Aircrew Training
DSN 279-1244 Comm 402-309-1244

Steve Wise's Story,

I relay because I have to. I can't just let it take my family and friends without fighting back! On February 23, 1997 I got a phone call at my apartment in Memphis, TN. It was my brother telling me my mother was gone forever. She battled the best she could since her diagnosis just a few months before, but cancer had gotten too big of a head start on her before her diagnosis and it couldn't be stopped. All she cared about was me not quitting school to be with her. She refused to let me stay with her while she was sick. I had to finish school. Be the doctor that I had started out to be. I couldn't be there. I had to be 700 miles away to make her happy. My grandfather Ed Wilhelm had been taken by cancer in in 1988 also and that was the first person close to me that had died.

Cancer didn't care. Cancer didn't sleep. And cancer doesn't have a soul.

We have to care. Sometimes we cant sleep, but we always have to remember we DO have our souls. If we take all the souls we have as human beings and we put them together, bonded and willful and focused, we can save some of us, and maybe some day all of us.

If not now then when? If not me then Who? ..........That's why I relay

Steve Wise

Dan Harnly's Story

Three and a half years ago, my wife and I had a 2 year old, a 5 year old, a new house, wonderful families, great friends and good jobs. We were very blessed. Things were going well.

Then came CANCER! My wife was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. She was 30 years old.

She knew medical language and terms. I was not educated on this type of thing. I remember very little of a long, technical conversation about the diagnosis except for one thing. NO CURE! Life as we knew it came to a screeching halt.

The next six months were a blur…. appointments, doctors, specialists, second opinions, scans, chemotherapy, wigs, statistics, pictures…lots of pictures, anger, medicine, shots, pain, fatigue, sadness, fear and lots of tears.

Eighteen grueling chemotherapy treatments after the word CANCER, the doctor said the word “STABLE”. This was/is a wonderful word! The three years since the doctor uttered the word “STABLE” has not been uneventful. There have been recurrences and surgeries. New pains, fears and lots more tears. So far, we have been lucky. STABLE is still there. Others we know have not been so fortunate.

The last three and a half years have been a journey. I have learned that CANCER is a horrible, unbiased killer that needs to be stopped immediately. I was asked to write why I RELAY, and this is why:

I RELAY BECAUSE…I can. There are others who are too sick or who are no longer with us that can’t. We need to RELAY for them and for those who will unfortunately follow in their footsteps until a CURE is found.

I RELAY BECAUSE…I have seen someone I love go through chemotherapy. NOBODY should ever have to experience this.

I RELAY BECAUSE…I don’t ever want another parent to have to look at their kids in the eye and speak the word “CANCER”.

I RELAY BECAUSE…Sometimes I see fear and sadness in my kids eyes because of CANCER. CANCER should not be a burden that anyone should have to bare, let alone the young and innocent.

I RELAY BECAUSE…funding from events such as the RELAY has helped keep my beautiful wife STABLE.

I RELAY BECAUSE… bad things happen to good people. A lot of those bad things are CANCER, and that is wrong and we can fix that.

I RELAY BECAUSE…sometimes miracles do happen, but for a many with CANCER, that miracle never comes. RELAY can help change that.

I RELAY BECAUSE…watching the survivor walk at the RELAY is one of the hardest things that I have ever had to deal with.

I RELAY BECAUSE…there CAN be a day where CANCER can be beaten if we all give just a little time, effort and money. I want that day to be as soon as possible so that nobody has to ever go through what we have been through.

I RELAY BECAUSE…I have learned that life is precious and short. Because of CANCER, for some it is too short.

I RELAY BECAUSE…EVERYBODY will eventually be touched by CANCER in some way. You or someone you know will have that doctor say “CANCER”. Don’t wait for that day. Fight back now!! Fight for you, your family, your friends, your kids and for everyone who has or will be touched by this horrible disease. RELAY!

Dan Harnly