Heat doesn't deter Relay for Life

Cancer survivors honored with

thousands of

luminaries

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Heat and humidity even after sundown didn't deter the spirits of those who came out to the Brown County Fairgrounds Friday for the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

Cancer survivors and those that died of the disease were honored with the lighting of thousands of luminaries -- candles in sand-filled paper sacks -- as the sun went down after a warm day.

Teams of walkers dressed up in creative costumes joined the fight against cancer by enjoying a pork feed, silent auction and a variety of other fund-raising efforts by hundreds of participants.

A good variety of vocal entertainment included the Salty Dogs (Rick Christianson, Bob Wirtz and Bob Siegmmann), Cassie Lokker, Megan Austinson, Maiden Voyage, and B&J DJ Services at midnight.

The event that began in Brown County in 1996, has been raising more than $90,000 each year since 2000.

Honorary event chairperson Beth Kretsch, a paraprofessional at River Bend Day Treatment, was diagnosed with lung cancer last December. She was hopeful removal of her lung had ridden her body of cancer.

Three months ago, she discovered she had bone cancer. Kretsch is currently receiving chemotherapy treatment in New Ulm once every three weeks. A future bone scan should provide answers on how she is doing in her latest cancer fight.

Kretsch plans to return to her teaching job this fall. Meanwhile, she's spending as much time as she can with her family.

"Finding out you have cancer changes your life," Kretsch said. "I'd like to thank all my special friends and family for all their help."

Her mother and an aunt also had cancer.

Her husband Kevin, a printer a Master Graphics in New Ulm, was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma in 1994. He underwent chemotherapy treatments three times and is in remission.

Twenty-one-year-old Jennifer Galvin of New Ulm is the Relay for Life Team Captain. She was diagnosed with cancer at age 15.

Galvin received chemotherapy at Minneapolis Children's Hospital. That led to a young adult camp in Montana that became a life-changing experience for her.

She said the friends she made and the lessons they taught her will stay with her the rest of her life.

Galvin will begin her fourth year of college this fall. She is working on dual degrees in social work and theology, with the aspiration of doing spiritual counseling with cancer patients, something she says she would never have discovered without having cancer.

"I have never looked at cancer as punishment or something that ruined my life," Galvin said. "I rather chose to look at having cancer as a gift I was given to help me remember to live every day to the fullest and never forget the beauty of life we are so fortunate to be given."

For more information, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org. To join the cancer survivors network, visit www.acscn.org or call toll-free 1-877-333-HOPE.