Relay For Life returns to Mount Pleasant, Union Grove

Participants in a past Relay for Life of Racine event celebrate a survivors lap.

Wisconsin's first Relay for Life events of 2023 will feature two local cancer survivors.

The relays, which honor those lost to cancer and raise money to help end cancer, are scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, June 2, at the Racine County Fairgrounds, 19805 Durand Ave., Union Grove, and 3 p.m. Friday June 9 at Campus Park, 8500 Campus Drive, Mount Pleasant.

The Union Grove relay will feature honorary volunteer Bill Schwedler, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2004 and joined a local Relay For Life team in 2006.

Funding from events like Relay For Life has helped provide Schwedler's oncologist with a grant to research treatments for testicular cancer, increasing the survivorship rate by nearly three times.

Piper Sendelbach, Mount Pleasant's honorary childhood cancer survivor, was in an all-terrain vehicle crash in 2021 that resulted in treatment at the local emergency room.

After undergoing scans to ensure nothing was wrong, doctors found an tumor at the base of her neck.

Sendelbach went through 13 rounds of chemotherapy and 26 days of radiation to treat the Ewing's sarcoma, all while attending school and maintaining normality.

In 2023, more than 600,000 Americans are expected to die from cancer, including 11,670 Wisconsinites.

Relay For Life has raised more than $6.8 billion to support these efforts since 1985, helping to fund cancer research, treatment and grants.

For more information and an event schedule, go to secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=104666 for the Mount Pleasant relay and secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=104242 for the Union Grove relay.

Racine-area residents listen to speakers at the 26th annual Relay For Life.

Mary Jo Diem, featured survivor, speaks at the 26th annual Relay for Life.

Mary Jo Diem, featured survivor, cuts the ribbon at the 26th annual Relay for Life at Campus Park, Friday, May 31, 2019.

Survivors of cancer take the first lap.

Survivors of cancer are greeted by the Pink Paddling Power's Honor Arch at the 26th annual Relay For Life of Racine at Campus Park, May 31, 2019. The Pink Paddling Power are a local group of breast cancer survivors that race Dragon Boats.

Survivors of cancer take the first lap.

Survivors of cancer are greeted by the Pink Paddling Power's Honor Arch at the 26th annual Relay For Life of Racine at Mount Pleasant Campus Park. The Pink Paddling Power are a local group of breast cancer survivors that race Dragon Boats.

Survivors of cancer are greeted by the Pink Paddling Power's Honor Arch.

Cynthy McCrory of Racine gives a high-five to a survivor of cancer while walking in Relay For Life.

Melissa Palacios of Racine gives a high five to a cancer survivor walking in Relay For Life on Friday night at Mount Pleasant Campus Park. Palacios, a member of Pink Paddling Power, is taking part in the group's Honor Arch; Pink Paddling Power is a group of local breast cancer survivors that race dragon boats. For additional Relay For Life photos, please see our gallery at JournalTimes.com.

Cindy Villarreal of Racine chats with a survivor of cancer.

Nikki Payne of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, lead for Congressional District 1, speaks with attendees.

Anita Schultz-Stadnik makes a bag full of food from the Unified Warehouse at the 26th annual Relay For Life, at Campus Park, May 31, 2019. All proceeds of the event were donated to the American Cancer Society.

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