Walkers will go around the clock to fight cancer during the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life June 26 and 27 in Sallisaw.

Beverly Smith, Relay for Life chairman, said, “This celebration of life brings numerous groups and individuals concerned about cancer together for a unified effort to fight back.”

Smith said teams of enthusiastic citizens will gather at the Sallisaw football field for the over-night Relay to join in the fight against cancer. The relay will be from 7 p.m. Friday, June 26, to 7 a.m. Saturday, June 27.

Smith said she was recently touched by the students at Liberty Elementary School in Sallisaw, who raised $1,192.16 in memory of two of their classmates lost to cancer — Shawn Rothers and Ashley Batemon.

“The students dedicated their pennies to their classmates,” Smith said. “They were just $7 short of $2,000. That’s phenomenal.”

Smith said the young students, after losing two classmates to cancer, seemed to understand the importance of finding a cure.

“It really touched my heart how the little kids went about this,” Smith said. “I thought it was a heart-felt giving for these kids who went to school with two cancer victims. These little kids understood what was happening.”

The money raised by the children and adults participating in the relay will provide research money, educational materials, advocate for laws the will make life better everyone, and services and support for cancer patients.

The Relay for Life will open with cancer survivors (anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer) walking or using a wheel chair completing the first lap.

Highlighting the evening is the luminaria ceremony taking place after dark to honor cancer survivors and to remember those lost. Luminaria line the track and are left burning throughout the night to remind participants of the importance of their efforts.

“Due to the generosity of corporate sponsors like Agents Funeral Home, Blue Ribbon Chevrolet, Casey Motor Sports, Century 21 Properties Reality, Clif’s Pharmacy, George Glenn Shelter Insurance, Green Leaf Properties, Hamilton Fast Stop, Hilton Agency, Health Care Solutions, Mallory-Martin Funeral Home, Muldrow Masonic Lodge, Sallisaw Masonic Lodge, Liberty Elementary School, Sallisaw Lumber Company, Superior Finance Company, and Wal-Mart the money raised by participants comes back to our community by directly benefiting all of the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving programs,” Smith said.

Information about how to become involved in Relay for Life is available from the American Cancer Society or Smith at (918) 774-4902. For more information about cancer, call the American Cancer Society’s 24-hour help-line at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.