Newtown Relay Will Host National Prevention Study

It may be early January, but a growing contingent of Newtown volunteers is already generating a lot of energy with sights set on June’s annual Relay For Life. The local overnight activity to raise awareness and funds for the American Cancer Society will be more exciting than ever since Newtown has been chosen as one of only two Connecticut sites to host a nationwide cancer prevention study.

Mary Marinaccio, a former co-chair and perennial volunteer for the Relay will be traveling to Atlanta next week for the training required to serve as the Newtown liaison for the third phase of a comprehensive cancer study called CPS-3.

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 500 men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 years who have no personal history of cancer are being called to volunteer for the study segment based here in Newtown. The study is hoping to draw volunteers from communities across Western Connecticut, so it will not depend on drawing the entire 500 participants exclusively from Newtown, although the typical attendance for the local Relay can well exceed 1,000 between volunteers and supporters.

 The ultimate goal of this study is to enroll 500,000 adults from various racial/ethnic backgrounds from across the United States. The purpose of CPS-3 is to better understand the lifestyle, behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer and to ultimately eliminate cancer as a major health problem for this and future generations.

The CPS-3 is a grassroots effort where Relay participants contribute to cancer research not only through their fundraising efforts, but also by participating actively in research. The American Cancer Society first began conducting long-term prospective studies (also called follow-up studies) in the 1950s.

For these studies, large groups of individuals were recruited through a successful partnership between the American Cancer Society researchers and volunteers. The study population provides information (e.g., lifestyle, medical, or behavioral) and then is followed over time to assess its health outcomes and to determine how those outcomes are related to the previously collected exposure data.

The commitment of the study participants and the volunteers who recruited them has been vital to the success of these studies. More details on the study activities will be forthcoming from Ms Marinaccio upon her return from training later in the month.

Kickoff Rally Planned

Meanwhile, organizers have planned a “mini university” training and refresher meeting for organizers January 27, preceding the communitywide kickoff rally that is set for January 31. The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Newtown committee and 2007 honorary chair Abbi Winters invite all interested Newtown residents to the kickoff rally Wednesday, January 31, at 7 pm, in the Newtown High School Lecture Hall. 

The agenda will include an introduction of fourth grader Abbi as this year’s honorary chair and this year’s event co-chairs, Helen Benson and Kathryn Wolf. For the second year in a row, Relay For Life of Newtown made the top 25 list of Relays throughout New England, raising more than $335,000 in 2006.

The community was also part of Fairfield County’s Nationwide Award — Top Ten Per Capita.

Spokesperson Dawn Escoda said this year’s goals for the Relay committee are to increase luminaria sales and survivor participation. To jump start the effort to line the Relay track with commemorative luminaria, Newtown Bee Associate Editor John Voket will host monthly musical showcases specifically to collect pledge forms for Relay Luminaria. The “Shining On for a CURE” shows will alternate monthly between Mocha Coffeehouse in Sandy Hook and Proud Mary’s at The Inn at Newtown.

The first “Shining On for a CURE” event is January 20 beginning at 7 pm at Mocha. Anyone wishing to pledge $10 per luminary can fill out registration forms at these special events and make their contributions.

Luminaries will be assembled and labeled the day of the Relay and set on the track for the moving commemorative ceremony after sunset that evening.

Hair Raising Activity

Others who may want to get in on making a difference in a unique and special way can begin growing their hair for this year’s Pantene Beautiful Lengths activity that culminates June 9 and 10 at the Relay. The American Cancer Society is working with Pantene to encourage women and men to grow, cut and donate their healthy hair to make wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments. 

Donated hair must be a minimum of 8 inches long (measured from just above the elastic band of a ponytail to the end). A major difference this year is that hair can be colored or permed, but not bleached or chemically damaged. 

Hair cannot have more than a few strands of gray hair and wavy/curly hair texture is fine. Participants simply need to come to the relay with their hair clean, shampooed and/or conditioned, without any styling, hairspray or additional hair products.  

Organizers are planning an auction style event at the Relay to encourage donations to the American Cancer Society for each haircut. For information about how to form a team or become involved in Relay For Life, call 426-3782, email relayforlifeofnewtown@yahoo.com, or just come to the kickoff rally January 31.

For more information on cancer, call the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345, 24-hours-a day, seven-days-a-week, or visit www.cancer.org.