Relay brings out true survivors
Three years ago, Lauren Jagiel walked with a team for Putnam County's Relay for Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.
Jagiel, 22, walked again this year -- this time as a survivor.
"I had Hodgkin's lymphoma," Jagiel said. "I was diagnosed on the day of Relay two years ago."
The Relay was held Saturday and Sunday at the field house on the DePauw University campus. Hundreds of walkers took the track during the 24-hour event, which is ACS's signature fundraiser. Relay for Life events are held throughout the nation.
Jagiel, a senior at DePauw University studying math and secondary education, is in remission now. She feels good physically, and is also grateful to be able to count herself among those who have beaten cancer.
"It's really kind of neat to be able to see (Relay) from both sides now," she said. "I walked when I was a freshman, and looking back it never even crossed my mind that at 22 I'd be back and I'd be a survivor. But I feel like nothing ever happened ... I'm still the same, I'm just wearing a purple shirt (survivors wear purple T-shirts at the event)."
Dan McMurtry, 38, of Bainbridge also walked his first survivor lap this year. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer in January, and had his kidney removed shortly thereafter.
He has walked in other Relays, though.
"My mom and dad both had cancer," he said. "It's so different walking for myself this year as opposed to just for my parents."
McMurtry's mother Nancy, 70, walked with her son in the survivor lap. She has had two bouts with breast cancer, one 10 years ago and one seven years ago.
Her husband Gene is an eight-year survivor of colon cancer.
"It's very emotional for me to be walking this year," she said, tears welling in her eyes. "I know what (Dan) is going through. And he's my baby."
Jagiel was impressed with the turnout at the local Relay for Life. "It's cool to see how much people care," she said.