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Relay For Life – Because We Need More Hannah Miller’s in the World

Posted on Jul. 5th, 2010

Avis Solie
GardnerEDGE

Hannah Miller

Hannah Miller is an inspirational young woman.

In 2004, at the tender age of 13, the Gardner Native won a gold medal for Olympic-style weightlifting at the AAU Junior Olympic Games.

Hannah could snatch 115 pounds and clean and jerk 126 pounds. She accomplished this feat with determination and self-control, both qualities that would soon serve her well.

Before she won the gold medal, Hannah spent her 13th birthday at the 2004 Relay For Life. The event would become more near and dear to her in the next several years.

Hannah was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma just six weeks after her birthday. She endured 10 rounds of chemotherapy and it appeared that Hannah was cancer-free, but the end was not yet in sight.

The cancer returned in June 2005, and by Hannah’s 14th birthday, she was given a 20 percent chance of survival. But Hannah was and still is a fighter. She also had Relay For Life on her side.

So just what is this Relay? The American Cancer Society Relay For Life has a three-pronged mission: 1) to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, 2) to remember loved ones lost, and 3) to fight back against the disease.

The Relay celebrates survivors with the Survivors Dinner and the Survivors Lap. It remembers those lost at the Luminaria Ceremony; And it fights back through the Fight Back Ceremony. And through raising funds for cancer research. And through providing community support for cancer patients and their families as they deal with all that is involved in this battle for life. Oh, and the relay is a 12 hour event - because cancer never sleeps.

Funds raised by Relay For Life provided research for experimental drugs that Hannah would receive, and, in November 2005, she had a stem cell transplant. She spent a lot of time in hospitals and doctors' offices since then, but she continues to recover from the impact that cancer had on her body. Hannah is determined to win this battle.

Hannah graduated from Gardner Edgerton High School in 2009, and she just completed her freshman year at Baker University. Life is becoming normal. Well, there was that recent trip to Denver for a 17 hour reconstructive surgery. But that’s another step in the recovery process. Another step toward normal.

DeeJo and Bob Miller and their children, Jacob and Hannah, became involved in Relay For Life in 1998 because it was a fun activity with good friends. Now, in 2010, they’re still involved with Relay For Life because they said it saves lives. It saved Hannah’s life. Says DeeJo, “Relay is a chance for the residents of Gardner and its surrounding communities to come together, united in the fight against cancer. It doesn’t matter what your political or religious beliefs are; cancer doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter how old you are; cancer can occur at any age. It doesn’t matter where you live; cancer doesn’t care. The Relay For Life gives us a chance to make a statement; we want to put an end to cancer!”

Anyone interested in being a part of Relay For Life at Wheatridge Middle School at 6 p.m. Friday, July 9.