My name is Ainslie Symons, and I am very passionate about participating in Relay for Life, as cancer has had a profound impact on me and my family. Having lost an aunt, honorary Grandma, and uncle to cancer in the my life thus far, my father having survived having melanoma, and countless family friends being lost to cancer, I know how hard it can be on individuals, their families, and loved ones. Now, over the past three years, my very own mom has been battling stage four osteosarcoma which spread to her heart. She's gone through open heart surgery, hemipelvectomy and now is on her third round of chemotherapy, which currently requires five days of hospitalization away from us in Halifax. My mom is an incredibly resilient, loving individual, and it is inspiring to follow her on her journey as she heals and grows and learn how to deal with her cancer. I'm also incredibly moved and full of gratitude as I see the community around us support and encourage us as we cope with the changes and difficulty this chapter has brought to our lives. I hope with the money I help raise, that our collective ability to deal with cancer is improved not just for us, but for the millions of people affected by this frightening disease.