Local cancer survivors and their caregivers will take the celebratory first lap at the annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Savannah event on May 8th at Benedictine Military School. The Survivors Lap will start at 7:00 PM, and anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer may participate. As the survivors walk, other event participants will cheer them on in a demonstration of support and celebration. The five-year survival rate for all cancers has risen to 68 percent, and there are an estimated 14 million Americans alive today who have been diagnosed with the disease.

The Relay For Life program is a community event where teams and individuals set up campsites at a school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team has at least one participant on the track at all times. Four million people participated in more than 6,000 events worldwide last year. The money raised supports groundbreaking cancer research, education and prevention programs, and critical services for people facing cancer.

If you are a cancer survivor or caregiver and would like to take part in the Relay For Life of Savannah event, visit relayforlife.org/savannahga. Or call the American Cancer Society at 912-355-5196.