With each table uniquely decorated at the Santa Clarita Elks Lodge No. 2379, cancer survivors and caregivers gathered at the Relay for Life Survivor and Caregiver Dinner on Saturday.
Santa Clarita’s Relay for Life, with this year’s theme being “May the Cure Be with You,” benefiting the American Cancer Society, will take place on May 4.
With roving “Star Wars” characters, including Darth Vader, emulating the upcoming theme, attendees were treated to dinner, photo opportunities, raffles, guest speakers from Keck Medicine of USC and Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, performances by the Saugus High School “Moody Blues” Jazz Choir and the Sande Strings Orchestra, and a speech from the American Cancer Society Voice of Hope, Jonie Tsuji.
The Santa Clarita chapter of Relay for Life, which was ranked 19th in the nation in 2023 according to its website, has become a community tradition of rallying community members to fundraise and fight against cancer.
“Tonight’s our survivor and caregiver dinner. It is the first one that we’ve had since the pandemic,” said Abby Smith, senior development manager for the American Cancer Society. “It is really about celebrating cancer survivors, giving them a time to be recognized and honored, along with their caregivers who are here with us this evening.”
According to Smith, the entire event has been executed by Relay for Life volunteers. Fundraising for the American Cancer Society happens throughout the year. Saturday’s event wasn’t focused on fundraising, but on recognizing survivors and caregivers.
“Our goal tonight is to really recognize caregivers,” Smith said. “We want to show that cancer impacts one in three people in their lifetime, which is a significant population here in Santa Clarita. We’re really fortunate to be able to put on events like this to celebrate cancer survivors and their families.”
Survivor and caregiver co-lead for Relay for Life, Laura Peach, took the lead to ensure that the event would be as festive as possible to honor the attendees.
“Tonight is a celebration of the survivors and caregivers, and everybody is in a great mood. We had our team come in earlier and decorate the tables, they’re all decorated differently,” Peach said. “It’s been wonderful.”
Among the caregivers recognized was Kathleen Pavard, a volunteer for 25 years for the American Cancer Society, who recently became a caregiver for her niece.
“I got involved in the American Cancer Society because I was introduced to a young woman, in her very early 20s, who had already been a six-year survivor. I just felt compelled to make sure that other young people weren’t affected,” Pavard said.
A year and a half ago, Pavard learned that her niece was diagnosed with stage four uterine cancer, an event that escalated her need to be as hands-on as possible.
“It broke my heart, because she’s like an angel — she spent her entire life taking care of her family, her disabled daughter and focused on everyone else,” Pavard said. “As soon as I found out, I immediately said, ‘I want to be the one who drives you to your chemo treatments.’”
Sticking to her word, Pavard is dedicated to taking her niece anywhere to ensure she receives the treatment she needs.
“I said, ‘Julie, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. I’ll drive you to Timbuktu if I need to. But I’m going to be with you to get you through these treatments,’” Pavard said. “On our ride home that day, it was the first time I heard her say, out loud, that she had terminal cancer. I’m determined to do anything I can to morally support her and pray that this clinical trial works.”
Mary Petersen, a survivor who was diagnosed with breast cancer 25 years with two young boys at the time, reflected on her initial recovery, as well as the cancer coming back almost two decades later.
“I went through treatment. Nineteen years later, the other side. Again, we had to deal with that, and I had a bilateral mastectomy. That was seven years ago, and I’m doing well,” Petersen said.
Petersen has been part of Relay for Life since 1999.
“We used to have a team with my daughter who was a dancer, so we called them the ‘Cancer Dancers.’ The Santa Clarita chapter is active and everyone is so devoted,” Petersen said. “All of the volunteers give 100% and they’re so caring, and they just want to do whatever they can to make life better for cancer patients and their caregivers and their families. I’m just honored to be part of that.”
