Riverview Relay for Life 'Wants to Be a Millionaire'

The Riverview Relay for Life Committee is taking on a million-dollar challenge and is hoping to save lives in the process.

As the event enters its 11th year this weekend, participating teams hope to reach a goal of 1 million total dollars earned for the American Cancer Society. The event has raised $890,000 total in its first 10 years.

Riverview Relay for Life is a 24-hour fundraising event at Riverside Park in Oakmont that includes team activities, live music, food concessions, raffles and games while team members take turns walking or running around the track. 

It begins Saturday at 10 a.m. and ends Sunday at 10 a.m. At the Relay, the teams camp out at the park and have a representative on the track at all times because "cancer never sleeps," according to the cancer society. 

The Relay begins with a survivors lap in which cancer survivors walk the track to celebrate their victories over the disease. In the evening, there will be a luminaria ceremony where candles are lit inside bags with the names of people who have been affected by cancer.

To tie in with the Relay goal, the committee chose a theme of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Teams will set up camp sites based on game shows.

"We're going to have a lot of fun with the theme this year," said Barbara Kutilek, chairwoman of the Riverview Relay committee. "We really hope we get to our $1 million goal.

"Our community support has been great. It's why our events are always so successful."

This year only, the Riverview Relay event was chosen to offer the opportunity to participate first-hand in a new study, the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3).  The American Cancer Society will be enrolling people into CPS-3, a long-term study that will help researchers better identify the lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer.

Marcia Semper, the committee member of the Riverview Relay for Life in charge of the study, said it's important for people to volunteer their time to participate because it could impact cancer research immensely.

Men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer can enroll to participate in the study at the Relay from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday. 

To enroll, individuals complete a brief written survey, provide a physical measurement and give a small blood sample at the Relay. Then, they will be required to complete a comprehensive survey at home. Over the course of the study, which is anticipated to last 20 to 30 years, participants will be asked to fill out follow-up surveys every couple of years.

"Hopefully, we can eradicate this horrific disease some day," Semper said.

For more information about the study or the event, see the Riverview Relay for Life website.