PM Co-Chairs Planning A Perfect Tribute To Cancer Survivors, Caregivers

By John Voket

As Newtown’s Relay For Life Co-Chair Michelle Babyak tells it, the moment she learned she had breast cancer and a 30 percent chance of survival, her thoughts turned to her two sons, who were age 6 and 9 at the time.

“Many questions go through your mind when you are told those words,” she recalled. “The one that stand most prominent in my mind was, ‘Would I be around for my boys’ next birthdays?’ My boys were so small and I wondered if they would have to grow up without a mom.”

Now, eight cancer-free years later, Ms Babyak has snapped back from her experience, taking such a proactive role in supporting fellow survivors and educating individuals about prevention and early detection that she has been named a “Hero of Hope” for the American Cancer Society, and will be the first New Englander to appear on the cover of the society’s national magazine, Triumph.

She was recently featured as a keynote speaker at the grand opening of the new ACS Southern New England regional center in Norwalk, and along with Co-Chair Addie Sandler, is in the final few days of planning for this year’s Relay For Life, the preceding Survivor’s Reception and hoping for a stellar period of optimal spring weather the weekend of June 4–5.

Chatting with The Newtown Bee one recent afternoon just a few feet from the 2011 Relay starting line in front of the Newtown Youth Academy at Fairfield Hills, the pair sought to drive home a few important points about the event to everyone in Newtown.

“First of all, this isn’t a race, and you can’t even consider it a sporting event,” Ms Sandler said. “Second, it’s free and open to everyone in the community. And while we have some serious messages to communicate about prevention and the support available to cancer survivors and caregivers locally, it’s really a place for everyone in town to come, to eat, socialize, to play a few games with their family, and to show their support for their neighbors who have been touched by cancer.”

With about a week to go before the event, Ms Babyak reinforced that it is not too late to register a team, to purchase a luminaria in tribute or memory of a loved one, to make a sponsorship contribution, or to come out and volunteer.

“Surprisingly, we could actually use some volunteers to show up around 5:30 am on Sunday, June 5, to help us do our first cleanup sweep after the Relay is over. So if there are any early risers out there looking to lend a hand, we’d love to see you Sunday morning,” Ms Babyak said. “And there are still loads of places where we could plug people in if they just want to show up and volunteer for a couple of hours anytime after 2 pm June 4.”

Plenty Of Room

Ms Sandler said there is still plenty of room for relayers as well. While a change in the minimum membership cap has attracted more teams this year than last, the registration total still adds up to fewer total participants.

“We’re almost at 400, and we’d love to break the 500 mark by next weekend,” Ms Sandler said. “Overall, we’re hopeful we’ll make our financial goal of contributing $200,000. And people should know that most of that money raised goes back into programs, research, and things like rides to chemotherapy treatments for people right here in Newtown. The contributions or funds they raise stays primarily local.”

The new Relay site can also accommodate well over 1,500 visitors for the pre-Relay “Kids for a Cure” cancer fundraiser, the official opening ceremonies and survivors’ lap, which kicks off at 6 pm, and all the public activities, food, games, entertainment, and educational activities happening between 5 pm and midnight, when the Relay site closes to the general public.

“There will also be a full Catholic Mass and an ecumenical service open to the public,” Ms Babyak said.

Activities leading up to the 2011 Relay for Life actually start the evening before at 7 pm as the annual Survivor’s Reception opens at St Rose of Lima Gathering Hall on Church Hill Road. Reception coordinator KC Mills said the event will include live entertainment from Jeff Craig and the band Deep, snacks, beverages, and some inspiring input from the 2011 Honorary Relay Co-Chairs, Sam Smith and Betty Presnell.

“We have room for up to 300 survivors, their families, and caregivers,” Ms Babyak said. “They just need to let us know they are coming by sending an e-mail to relayforlifeofnewtown@gmail.com or contacting Addie [Sandler] at 203-426-6121.”

“Then we want all the survivors to pack the track during the opening ceremonies,” Ms Sandler said. “We have gotten so much positive feedback from this part of the Relay, where survivors sometimes realize for the first time that they aren’t alone in their battle, or in their survivorship experience.”

Newtowners are also encouraged to send in pictures of loved ones or friends who have battled or survived cancer to be included in a video tribute that will play during the luminaria ceremony after dark. Photos and messages can be sent via the Relay gmail address.

Thanks To Supporters

As always, the success of Newtown’s Relay depends heavily on not only the support of dozens of volunteers who plan and work year-round, but to the many local businesses that make donations of money, products, or services.

“From Newtown Savings Bank to all the mom and pop stores that donate raffle prizes, food, ice, or who make donations, who host our luminaria sales and all the other team fundraisers, to the bus drivers donating time to shuttle Relay visitors, we couldn’t do this without you,” Ms Sandler said. “Now all we can do is count on perfect weather for our perfect tribute to Newtown cancer survivors, families, and caregivers.”

Ms Sandler said she Relays for lost family members and friends who have battled the disease. But Ms Babyak is likely here today because someone else made a donation that put a research team over the top in developing an experimental treatment that saved her life, and permitted her to celebrate more of her own, her husband’s and her boys’ birthdays.

“At the time of my treatment, thanks to the money raised by the ACS and all of you that Relay, a new hormone treatment was just released. I was lucky enough to be included in these lifesaving treatments,” Ms Babyak says in her Hero of Hope bio. “I am an eight-year survivor of stage 4 breast cancer. I am here today to give others hope for their future so they too can see more birthdays.”

The 2011 Relay for Life will occur rain or shine, thanks to the Newtown Youth Academy, which will open for Relay teams to continue their overnight mission in the event of serious weather concerns. Learn all about the event at relayforlife.org/newtownct, and anyone in need of information or services because they or a loved one is battling cancer can get immediate assistance 24-hours-a-day by calling 800-227-2345.