A Cedar Rapids man is undertaking an ambitious run today with purpose. Dave Martin plans to run from Center Point to Cedar Falls as part of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life events. He talks about his motivation for the run. Martin says he feels the "fight against cancer is everybody’s fight" and most of us could probably name several people they know how have had cancer.
He says sometimes you have to do something that unique to draw attention to your cause, and running this far fits that bill. The run totals 55 miles and Martin says that number has significance to him for two cancer-related events. It is the 25th anniversary of the Relay for Life Events, and the 30th anniversary of the year his father lost his fight with cancer. The Relay for Life Events raise funds to fight cancer and more.
Martin says the events are a "big party’ than can last 12 or more hours depending on the community. He says it’s also a way to honor caregivers and remember those who are no longer with us that did have cancer. Martin says the theme of Relay for Life Events is "Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back."
Martin says two of the components are what he’s incorporating into his run and the third, fight back, is what the whole issue is about. "Cancer is terrible and but you can sit back and kinda cry about the fact or you say, well it’s terrible, but I’m going to do something about it," Martin says. He says fighting back empowers use to say we can each make a difference if we chose to.
Martin expects leave Center Point around 10 o’clock this morning and should arrive at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls around seven o’clock tonight. The relay events are taking place across the state, and you can find one in your area on the Relay for Life website . You can also call toll free 1-800-227-2345 for information.
AUDIO: Radio Iowa’s Dar Danielson report on Dave Martin’s run. :60 MP3