Relay For Life Kickoff A Success? YES!

I could not be more proud of my classmates and all of their hard work to make the Kickoff Dinner for Baldwin County's 2010 Relay For Life a huge success! It would not have been as wonderful without everyones help because each person had a major contribution that obviously proved to pay off! The candles set up around the room (Tori), the AMAZING cupcakes (Marianna), beautiful slideshow (Keri & Andrea), and all the food that was donated (Brooke) is only the start of how great the evening went.

I was a part of the decorations committee under Cara Wilmer and I really enjoyed it. We all got along great and worked together to to come up with some of the best ideas we could. Painting boxes, wrapping boxes, making a banner, and setting up the table place settings were all something I took apart in and I was glad to be a help.

Personally, I thought the room looked beautiful. It was very elegant with black and white and the purple and pink accents really made the room stand out. It was hard to picture in my head what exactly it was going to look like, but it turned out great.

Our class was also very concerned about food. The last thing we wanted was to run out of food. It is always better to have more than enough so we got enough food to feed about 130 people. However, we had TONS of leftovers! All the guests were welcome to as much food and candy as they wanted.

Attendance of team captains was also another obstacle we had to battle. Getting the awareness out about this event was one of our main goals. Press releases, invitations, flyers, and radio ads were all some of the PR work we had done to spread awareness. Almost all the seats were full in that church banquet room and it put a smile on all of our faces.

Last but not least, I believe one of the biggest accomplishments of this PR Admin class is the bond, trust, and respect we all have began to see in each other. Some of these girls have shocked me with all their talent and I am proud to have worked with them. We all worked together as a team and provided encouragement when someone needed it. It was a great experience and can't wait for next semester!!

and PS....THANS YOU DR. MILLER FOR ALL YOUR HELP! WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!

TEAM CAPTAINS WANTED!

All Relay For Life can ask for is support. No matter how much money one can raise, it is made very obvious that every penny counts. After reading all the survivor stories my classmates have written I have learned so much about how this horrible disease can change people. It also amazes me how strong and courageous these survivors are. Some survivors have even called their experience a blessing in disguise because they now life life so differently and treat every day like its their last.
Trying to put myself in their shoes is a hard image for me to imagine. I don't know what I would do. Would I be sad? Angry? Confused? Wondering "why me?". Being able to work this closely with Relay and all of the dedicated volunteers has really made a difference in myself. Even a small contribution can make a difference. I look up to these survivors and see them as supernatural to have battled this awful disease and still have a smile on their face while wanting to help others.
Helping with Relay For Life was not an assignment for me, but it was an honor. I enjoyed every minute of it and so thankful to have my wonderful PR Admin classmates that helpes make this event a success!

Cancer Survivor Story

Although this story is not being used or featured, thought I would share this story anyway!

Staring straight at her doctor with a strong face of emotion, the only thought running through her mind was, “No, surely not me?”
McGill, 51, said shock was the only emotion she could grasp when told she had been diagnosed with ductcal carcinoma in Aug. 2004, just four months after marrying her husband Ken. Showing no signs or symptoms, she could not understand how this happened because she did all the little things right.
“I just was in shock because I did everything the right way,” McGill said. “I was on a healthy diet and I exercised regularly. I never missed a yearly mammogram and performed monthly self exams.”
McGill had no choice but to fight the cancer and had undergone her first surgery just days after her diagnosis. The linguine shaped tumor made it very difficult for doctors to remove, and after two unsuccessful attempts she was referred to an oncologist specialist at Emory.
McGill waited anxiously for two weeks to see the specialist, but said it was great to finally slow down and really take in what was happening. Everything had happened so fast and she needed this time to think for herself. There were so many options to investigate and discuss with her family.
Feeling much more relaxed, McGill arrived to Emory ready to fight. She remained very positive and was ready to have the surgery that would leave her cancer free.
“It was an amazing feeling,” McGill said. “I went to sleep with breast cancer and then woke up without it.”
The third surgery was so successful that McGill required no further treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation. After removing her breast and five lymph nodes the only battle left was the reconstructive surgery. McGill opted for a TRAM flap reconstructive surgery, taking tissue, muscle, and skin from her abdomen to rebuild her breast.
“Healthcare is amazing today,” McGill said. “I had so many reconstructive options to choose from. I had to remember there was no right or wrong, but to embrace the treatment that was comfortable for me.”
McGill was back to work only three and a half weeks after her final surgery. She said her journey wouldn’t have been as positive without the love and support from her family and friends. Women she had known for years called and offered comfort and support, and opened up about their battles with cancer.
“These women were my lifeline,” McGill said. “I had no idea half of these women had ever been diagnosed with this disease. It’s great that us cancer survivors can stick together.”
McGill also said she could not have gone through this without the undying love and support from her husband. She never once thought she would marry again and couldn’t be more thankful that Ken came into her life when he did.
McGill now looks at her life very differently and couldn’t be happier to be alive. She has chosen to embrace this experience and live her life to the fullest. McGill also allows her name to be given out as a referral to talk to women who are battling the same fight that she once did.
“This experience will change who you are forever,” McGill said. “But in some ways it may be for the better.”
McGill continues to see the oncologist once a year for routine screenings. Her family just recently celebrated her five year mark of being cancer free. This is a huge accomplishment for McGill, but said she was ready if anything would arise.
“It’s not that I don’t think about it,” McGill said. “It’s just a normal part of my life now.”

Kicking it Off Right...

This was the first of hopefully many to come. This past week was my first formal pitch in my PR career. My team consisted of three members, Andrea Lowery, Rachel Ledford, and myself. We worked great together and I really learned how to bounce ideas and work as a team. It also gave me the chance to get to know them more alot better and I really enjoyed that.

Our assignment was to plan and implement the Kickoff Dinner for Baldwin County's Relay For Life. Our duties consisted of creating a menu, adopting a theme, finding decorations, designing an invitation, and maintaining excitement for Relay For Life. Because all of our food will be donated our menu option contained a wide varitey of options. Everything from Mexican food to Chinese would be offered. Our theme for the Kickoff was "Unwrap the Cure." Because the national theme for Relay was "Creating a World with More Birthdays", our team wanted to stay within a birthday theme. We wanted to make the room look like a huge birthday party. A balloon arch, colorful birthday presents, and lots of sweets would be all around the room.

This assignment taught me alot and I got to see how much work goes into an event like this. It also feels good to do an event for such a good cause. I am glad to be apart of Baldwin County's Relay For Life and I am very excited for our class to put all of our ideas together and come up with a Kickoff that will be remembered!