Relay for Life Set for Saturday at Katy City Park

By George Slaughter

In keeping with this year’s Star Wars theme, participants in Saturday’s Relay for Life hope that the Cure is with them.

The Relay for Life, sponsored American Cancer Society, is set for 5 p.m. Saturday at Katy City Park, 5720 Franz Road. While it’s called a relay, it’s a non-competitive, family-friendly event designed to celebrate cancer survivors, remember those who lost their battle with the disease, and raise money to help find a cure. Admission is free.

The event will feature opening and closing ceremonies. Following the opening ceremonies, survivors are invited to walk the first lap, called a celebration lap, on the track around the park. Caregivers then get to take a turn, celebrating all their efforts to support their loved ones. Participants sponsor teams, or better still, join teams to share in the activity. The batons this year will be mini-light sabers in keeping with the Star Wars theme.

One such team, Team KT, is in its seventh year. The “KT” has an obvious connotation with Katy, but for the team’s organizer, Brenda Martin, it’s more personal than that. Her husband Tal is a former Marine who today works as a machinist with Acme Brick in Sealy. He was diagnosed with oral cancer seven years ago. That’s when Brenda Martin first learned of the Relay for Life and decided to get involved.

“He’s recovered from his cancer, though he’s had half his jaw taken out,” Martin said. “He’s working and fighting and doing OK. But he’s cancer free. He’s a tough guy.”

Tal Martin is the “T” in the “KT,” while Kim France is as the “K.” France was best friends with Martin’s daughter, Lyn Sullivan Lerman. France was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and died before last year’s relay.

“It was a really difficult ceremony last year,” Brenda Martin said.

People are encouraged to sponsor walkers and their teams, or purchase signs at the park as part of the fundraising effort. Martin said a silent auction is planned, with between 80-100 items donated. Many local restaurants have donated gift cards as well. Martin praised a colleague, Vicki Wiggins, as doing a “phenomenal” job in securing donations.

Fundraising aside, the event is meant to be a celebration and people are welcome to attend, even briefly, and even if they don’t plan to donate money. Children can play in a bounce house and a survivor’s tent will also be set up in addition to team tents.

“We want to treat them like royalty,” Martin said of the survivors.

Participants are invited to decorate luminaria bags at the park, which are dedicated to cancer survivors, those still fighting the disease, or those who have died of the disease. The luminaria bags will be placed along the track during the night hours.

Food and drink are provided. For more information and to register, visit www.relayforlife.org/katytx.