NRD Miami Recruiters Run 18-Hour Relay for Life

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Gabe Puello, Navy Recruiting District Miami Public Affairs

BRANDON, Fla. (NNS) -- Navy Recruiting District Miami recruiters ran a continuous 18-hour relay, May 7 and 8 at Brandon High School's track, in Brandon, Fla., and collected nearly $30,000 for cancer research.

Sailors, led by team captain Cryptologic Technician 2nd Class Kristianne Chardon, whose grandmother is a breast cancer survivor, camped out at the local high school and took turns running around a track. Each team was had a representative on the track at all times during the event.

"We had some motivated Sailors like Chief Electronic Technician Brian Glass and Operations Specialist 1st Class Jamal Atkins running out there and actually seeing who could outlast each other," said Chardon. As the night wore on, a lot of teams thinned out but not the Navy. "We kept going to the end; this was truly a successful and fun event."

"Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length," said Navy Career Counselor 1st Class (SW/AW) Christy Miller, recruiter in charge, Bradenton. Miller was elected to Brandon's Community Committee for Relay for Life this year and sponsored her shipmates from NRD Miami's Zone 6.

The Navy runners were one of the more 40 teams and 485 participants who took part in this event which also fostered greater Navy awareness in the Brandon community. At the relay's opening ceremony each team displayed a sign showing which type of cancer they were raising funds for along with their team colors NRD Miami recruiters funded bladder cancer research.

Throughout the night, as the Navy team maintained a runner on the track at all times, announcers kept everyone's spirits alive by coming up with different themes and names for each lap such as quitters' lap, bed head lap and twins lap.

"I have family members that passed with cancer including both grandfathers with lung cancer and my grandmother with stomach cancer," said Chief Navy Career Counselor (SCW) Dewayne Benjamin, supervisor, Zone 6.

"That is why we wanted to help in any way we could. After discussing it with the Zone and finding out several other recruiters had family members who suffered with various types of cancers, we all chipped in to participate and help with the cause."

Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States, along with additional communities in 19 other countries, gather to take part in this global phenomenon and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer. The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones who died, and fight back against the disease. Relay participants are creating a world with more birthdays, where cancer can't claim another year of anyone's life.