Kids walk for cancer awareness

By Harold Gwin

It’s all about education, prevention and making a difference, the organizer said.

HUBBARD — “This is a great thing that you are doing,” Kayla Hankey told the pupils at St. Patrick School as they prepared to begin their third annual Relay for Life in the parish center.

“It means so much. I don’t know if I would be here without all this fundraising,” said the 19-year-old, three-time cancer survivor from Campbell.

She counted the children among her heroes for their effort to help others, and reserved the title of “superheroes” for “my family and my God.”

“I thank the Lord for watching over me ... and saving my life,” she said.

She was first diagnosed with acute lymphocyte leukemia at age 51‚Ñ2, she told the children.

Treatment with chemotherapy and steroids put the disease into remission, but it came back four years later when she was 10.

Another round of treatment and the cancer was in remission again, but it came back when she turned 13.

This time, the treatments she had undergone before to fight the disease were ineffective, and she was told she would probably need a bone marrow transplant.

She spent six months in the hospital, undergoing full-body radiation and dealing with strict diet controls and more.

“I really felt like I was in a bubble,” she recalled.

It turned out that she didn’t get a bone marrow transplant but received a much-less invasive stem cell transplant instead. The process worked, she said, adding that, six years later and now a freshman at Youngstown State University, she remains cancer free.

The Relay for Life kicked off Catholic Schools Week, which carries the theme of “service.”

“This is a big part of that,” said Marcy Sebest, of Campbell, a St. Patrick parent who has organized the school’s three relays.

Giving back to those most in need is an important service, and no age is too young to realize that, she said.

The goal of the walk is to increase awareness, teach the children prevention and “to show them ... that they can make a difference,” she said.

The effort has also raised money, about $2,000, that becomes part of the annual Liberty Relay for Life held in May.

After Hankey spoke, members of the Mahoning Valley Phantoms hockey team lit about 200 luminaria on the hall stage in honor of cancer survivors and those who fought the fight and lost.

A dozen cancer survivors, led by Hankey, kicked off the relay with a couple of laps around the gym, eventually joined by all of the students (all wearing Relay for Life T-shirts) and the hockey team for a brief period.

Most of the pupils went back to class, but a different grade was assigned to return to the parish center during the relay to walk in 15-minute increments.

“Six people in my family died from cancer,” said Maryam Dennis, a sixth-grader, as she explained why she wanted to walk in the relay.

“Be strong because God will take you through the fight you face,” she advised.

“It’s about saving people’s lives,” said Alexis Penick, another sixth-grader, who said she has lost three family members to cancer.

“My sister’s best friend’s aunt just died from cancer. She was 31,” said Emily Manion, also a sixth-grader, explaining why she felt it was important to participate.

The day ended with the release of purple and white balloon in honor of cancer survivors and victims.

gwin@vindy.com