Cancer survivors honored for courage at Los Banos Relay for Life

Styling hair was extra personal for Michelle Lee on Saturday as she volunteered to cut off locks of hair for donation from kids and adults participating in the annual Relay for Life.

Lee’s daughter, 9-year-old Caidyn Lee, is a six-year survivor of bladder cancer. And each year that her family and supporters come to Relay for Life, they find more support from those who have experienced similar journeys.

“It really helps, it really does,” Lee said, choking up as she recalled her young daughter’s difficult journey.

Survivors young and old, recently entering remission and those decades removed from their cancer, were honored at the 17th annual Los Banos Relay for Life, which was held Saturday and Sunday at the Los Banos Fairgrounds this year.

Previously, the event was held at the high schools in Los Banos.

The event had a different feel with the new location, but the same goals and enthusiasm pervaded the atmosphere while hundreds of survivors, caregivers, supporters, family and relatives walked laps around the fairgrounds.

Woody McBride, Los Banos Relay for Life chairman, said the main goal is to raise money for cancer research while celebrating the lives of survivors, honoring those who died in their fights, and encouraging those who are continuing to battle.

According to the Relay for Life Los Banos page, 28 teams including 212 participants raised more than $61,000 as of Saturday. McBride said the total goal, including the weekend’s events, was $89,500.

“We wanted to also bring back the education of what cancer is and what it does,” McBride said.

The event featured several themed laps, performances by the Los Banos High School Mini Cheer teams, the honoring of survivors by Girl Scout Troop 1175, a Luminaria ceremony, a scavenger hunt, contests and more.

For the first time in several years, beauticians volunteered their time to cut and collect hair for the national Wigs for Kids project.

For 8-year-old Ava Vargas, knowing that her hair will help other kids was the reward.

“I decided to do it to support people with cancer,” Ava said, adding that she was also thinking about her grandfather who is fighting brain cancer.

The children at Relay for Life also enjoyed activities like the football toss and bounce houses, and participated in the various themed laps.

Several booths with information on cancer and cancer services were also set up along the lap sidelines.

One of the other new features of the event was a survivors-only air-conditioned building.

Inside that building Saturday, Los Banos residents Helen and Kim Huckobey were sharing stories with other survivors.

Helen Huckobey is a breast cancer survivor of 20 years. Her daughter, Kim Huckobey, is a four-year, nine-month survivor of uterine cancer.

“We meet other survivors and their journeys,” Helen Huckobey said of the event, adding that Relay for Life gives kids a fun outlet to learn, support and grieve for those who fought cancer.

Kim Huckobey agreed, noting that she was diagnosed with cancer shortly after the first time she supported her mother at a Relay for Life event.

“The people you meet aren’t just acquaintances,” Kim Huckobey said. “They become close friends, whether supporters or survivors.”

The Huckobeys were talking with Katie Koehleo, a caregiver whose husband has been battling lymphoma for a year and two months.

The lymphoma has caused several other complications for her husband, so the fight has been tough for Koehleo, who attended her first Relay for Life on Saturday.

“We are from (Los Banos) and were living in Santa Barbara, but we moved back for family and support,” Koehleo said. “There are so many caregivers, family, friends here.”

This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Cancer survivors honored for courage at Los Banos Relay for Life."