Why I Relay – Alli

Why I Relay

By: Alli Knight

I relay because losing someone you love after watching them suffer and lose a battle that they were so determined to beat is devastating. I lost my father to pancreatic cancer on June 5th, 2011. He fought for two long years to prove to the doctors that their estimate that he would live for 6-9 months was not acceptable! He exceeded all expectations because he is a fighter but ultimately, he lost his battle. A year and 3 months later, I lost my grandmother to lymphoma. Then on January 19th, 2015, I lost my uncle to lung and mouth cancer.

I had lost one of the most important people in my life and two others not long after. I was heartbroken, devastated, and especially angry. I was upset because of the people I had lost but I sympathized for my mom. She lost her husband and life companion, then her mother and then her brother. I decided that I needed to use my feelings and loss to help find a solution so others don’t have to be scared of what their future holds, so caregivers don’t have to feel the way I feel, the way my mom feels. I was determined to make a difference, big or small.

I have met a lot of great people through the years that I have been participating in relay. Although they do not replace the ones I have lost, they have become part of our family. We support each other and those who are fighting each and every day. Everyone that participates in relay has their own heartache, their own experience, and their own story. My team is what keeps me going! If you or anyone you know are struggling and need some support, come on down and visit Team Gone Fishin’ at the Plainville Relay for Life at Norton Park on June 2nd!