In memory of dad and in honour of 16 month old nephew, Jacob
Monday, January 9, 2012
By: Gloria Raybone

I Relay for hope. I Relay for friends. I Relay for family. I Relay for Dad. I Relay for Jacob. I Relay for LIFE! Dad, I love you and miss you. This is in your memory. Jacob, I love you and am fighting strong on your behalf.

In 2007, my dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer. He began many treatments that year in an attempt to battle the cancer throughout his entire body. In between treatments he was able to walk me down the aisle at my wedding.
Many of the treatments did not appear to be working and so they attempted a stem cell transplant in December 2007. This appeared to help for a short period of time - he was even informed in March 2008 that he was in remission. He started planning and preparing to attend the local Relay for Life near where he lived.
However, mid May, he began to feel worse. Shortly thereafter, he was informed that he only had 6 to 8 weeks to live. 8 weeks later (and one week after his 51st birthday), the tube that was in his chest for the treatments and dialysis treatments fell out and he was taken to the hospital.
After a fierce battle in the hospital for 9 days, he lost his fight against cancer on August 9th, 2008. He never was healthy enough to participate in Relay for Life in Sharbot Lake, Ontario.
That was not to be the last that my family was hit with this dreadful war . . .
On September 25, 2011 (about 2 weeks after his first birthday), my 1 year old nephew, Jacob, was diagnosed with clear cell sarcoma (of the left kidney). He was taken to the hospital in Ottawa (CHEO) to run some routine tests after my sister found blood in his diaper. The tests identified a lump in his one kidney.
They removed the kidney on September 28, 2011 in order to remove the tumor. It was over 600 gram tumor. They began radiation and chemo treatments the very next week.
Radiation treatments lasted a couple of weeks and chemotherapy is scheduled over a 28 week treatment plan. The treatments are hard on his little body and the whole family is standing together to fight for little Jacob.
I wasn't able to do much for my dad, but I Relay to CELEBRATE those that are fighting and the families that fight with them such as little Jacob.
I Relay to REMEMBER my dad and honour his desire to participate in Relay for Life.
And most of all . . .
I Relay to FIGHT BACK against this disease for Jacob and so that in the future, families do not have to say goodbye to their loved ones because they will be able to win their war against cancer.
I Relay for LIFE!!