MANSFIELD — Every time she walks, Holly Draper walks for her Aunt Jenn.
“My aunt Jenn died of Cancer seven years ago on June 20,” said Draper, a co-captain of the Richland Bank team at Relay For Life. “I’ve been going to relays since I was probably 5-years old. My dad has always been apart of it. We’ve had several different members of my family affected, but she was the one I was closest with.”
Twenty teams of 115 walkers participated in Saturday’s Relay For Life event held at the Richland County Fairgrounds from 1 to 10 p.m.
Events are used to raise money for cancer research, helping those affected with cancer, said chairperson Elizabeth Burton.
“Today is a day we can get together and come together as a team to celebrate the lives of those that (survived) and remember those that lost their battle with cancer,” Burton said. “It’s a special ceremony where we can honor and remember those who have been diagnosed with cancer.”
Draper said her team came out to show support for all those in the community who have been affected.
“Richland Bank has been doing Relay For Life for at least eight years, I think it may have been longer. This is the first year I am a co-captain for it,” she said. “We think it’s super important to be here for the community. Ending cancer would just be amazing.”
Draper said although her aunt died of cancer, she never forgets her.
“Any time I do anything relay, cancer related,” she said. “I am always thinking about Aunt Jenn.”
