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Overcast Fighting back against cancer
Baldwin Relay For Life set for Saturday
When someone is battling cancer it’s a fight he or she must endure 24 hours a day, often for months or years at a time. Cancer patients endure a marathon of treatments and procedures in the hope of beating their disease.
To symbolize those cancer fights, the Baldwin community will band together Saturday and walk continuously around a makeshift track in Baldwin Park in the seventh annual Relay For Life of Baldwin, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Hundreds of people are expected to attend this weekend’s event, which, like last year, will take place on a field near the tennis courts. In years past, the relay was held at the Baldwin High School track and took place overnight. More than $21,000 has already been raised this year for cancer research and treatments, and more money is donated each day.
Jennifer Scarduzio, who is coordinating the event with Renee Salmon and Marie Burns, has been a driving force behind Baldwin’s relay since its inception. When a representative from the American Cancer Society attended a PTA meeting over seven years ago, Scarduzio recalled, she and Salmon looked at each other, nodded and decided to get involved.
At the time, Scarduzio had no firsthand experience with cancer; she simply wanted to help a good cause. But in recent years, she, like so many others, has seen family members and close friends battle the disease.
“So many people have been diagnosed, and I guess I’m just trying to make a difference,” Scarduzio said. “I hope I’m making a difference.”
The Baldwin community has raised nearly $500,000 for cancer research and treatment since its first relay in 2009, according to Sarah Sobel, a special events manager for the American Cancer Society who is overseeing the relay. Last year, participants raised about $55,000, and Scarduzio is hoping for a similar amount this year, although there’s a long way to go.
As of Monday, 13 teams and 92 participants were signed up for the relay. Teams host fundraisers in the weeks and months leading up to the event. Team Because We Care, of which Scarduzio is a captain, has raised the most money so far this year, more than $12,000.
