Luminaries were lit at Relay for Life.

TIFTON — Every spring, the people of Tift County come out to the E.B. Hamilton Complex to show their support for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. This year, they did not disappoint.

The theme for the 2018 event was “Change the Channel on Cancer.” Different television shows were emphasized at the campsites from “M.A.S.H “ to “The Partridge Family.”  Heatcraft, the presenting sponsor for the past three years, had a Flintstones-themed site complete with a slingshot game for kids and a photo-op with Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

With many of the participants returning from previous years, there was one group who made their debut at Relay. They were easy to spot in their pink-accented t-shirts, which read, “No one fights alone.” Invited by Coveris of Tifton and Target Distribution Center, this crowd of contributors was there to show support for one wonderful young lady.

Saniyah Bowman, an eleven-year-old cancer survivor, wore a tiara and was the center of attention. Bowman was diagnosed at age three with retinoblastoma, the most common eye cancer in children. She lost her eye to the disease and now wears a prosthetic.

When asked what it was like to be at Relay For Life for the first time, Bowman said, “It’s awesome.”

Her grandmother, Sabrina Nixon, mentioned having a small celebration for Bowman before attending the event.

 “We talked about the closeness of family and how blessed we are that God spared her,” Nixon said of the party.  

The family also relayed for Thewana Thomas, Bowman’s great-grandmother who passed away April 2 from cancer.

The Relay For Life Committee, including American Cancer Society community manager Emily Lamontagne and Event Lead Teri Hughes, was thrilled to have so many come out to show support this year.

“So many of our teams went above and beyond on their campsites and energy,” said Lamontagne. “Our survivors got so much love during their special lap, with the community cheering them on and teams handing out special goodies just for them as they went by.”

Hughes commented on the energy of the evening. “While it was small in number, it was big in heart. I could feel the excitement and passion of everyone involved as I visited the campsites,” she said.

The purpose of Relay For Life is to bring the community together to celebrate cancer survivors, remember those who lost their battle to cancer, and fight back until a cure is found. Lamontagne expressed her gratitude to all who participated and donated to the cause.

“The Tifton community really showed the best of what Relay stands for this year and it was an honor to be a part of such an inspiring event.”