Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Relaying the story


This headline is "borrowed" from the title page of the annual report of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, but it is the most accurate description for the new initiative on our Web page, "Voices of Relay: Leaving their Mark."

This Web page, designed by online editor Eileen Faust, is a special feature highlighting the reasons Pottstown area people participate in the local Relay. On the site you will hear the voices and view video of the known and unknown heroes of this little town's million-dollar miracle, the Pottstown Relay for Life.

Mary Kochel, who is a 90-year-old cancer survivor and charter member of the local American Cancer Society chapter, describes on video how she pooh-poohed the idea 12 years ago to start a local Relay. JoAnn McKiernan tells about the start of the canine Relay last year, as her dog Sassy sits on her lap making faces at the camera and stealing the show.

There are poignant stories that will make you cry, and others that will make you smile.

Courtney Glass is a cancer survivor who is only 25 years old and tells of her hard-fought battle to live. Kathy Brennan, this year's Relay chairman, recounts how she made a vow to give back whatever she could if she survived her bout with cancer. Our own Sunday editor Chuck Pitchford tells how he has worked on the Sunday paper every spring that chronicles the success of the local Relay, but he never knew how much it would affect his life until his wife Donna died a year ago, just a week after being diagnosed with cancer. Chuck's family has started a Relay team this year, Dreams for Donna, to honor the life of Donna Pitchford.

Voices of Relay is an example of how the Web is expanding our ability as a newspaper to tell stories, and there is no more poignant or moving example.

We will continue to update the site with more video and more voices as we approach the May 31-June 1 Relay for Life at Pottsgrove High School.

The goal is $1.1 million. The dream is a world free of cancer. The means is right there in the local voices of people leaving their mark.

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