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American Morning
Cancer Survivor Lindsey Thomas on Relay for Life
Aired June 01, 2001 - 09:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Today is Cancer Survivor's Day. There are events planned all around the country to increase awareness and also raise some money to help fight the disease.
Someone who should know a lot about that is our next guest. She is Lindsey Thomas. She is a cancer survivor herself and she's joining us from Washington, D.C.
Lindsey, good morning.
LINDSEY THOMAS, CANCER SURVIVOR: Good morning, Daryn, how are you?
KAGAN: Well, I'm doing OK.
Tell us a little bit about your story. You're 19 now, that's right?
THOMAS: Yes, ma'am.
KAGAN: But you were 12 years old when you were diagnosed?
THOMAS: Yes, I was 12 years old when I was diagnosed - actually on the last day of school my seventh grade year, as a matter of fact.
KAGAN: And what type of cancer did you have?
THOMAS: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and it's been in remission for about almost seven years now.
KAGAN: Congratulations on that.
THOMAS: Thank you. Thank you.
KAGAN: So you were 12 when you were diagnosed and started to fight the disease, 13 when you became an activist.
THOMAS: Yes, ma'am. I got an invitation to join a Relay for Life team from the American Cancer Society people. And I told them I didn't want to because it was going to be a bunch of old people on the team and...
KAGAN: Well, boo on that.
THOMAS: Yes, and...
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: Hang around a bunch of old people.
THOMAS: At 13 years old that's just not what you want to do.
KAGAN: Well that's true. I hear you.
THOMAS: So I started my first only kids team that yea. And since then, I've been doing it and having an awesome time out there at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. So...
KAGAN: We were talking about Race for the Cure, tell us about the Relay for Life.
THOMAS: The Relay for Life is a 24-hour event and it's an opportunity for cancer survivors, cancer patients and their families and friends and the community to come out and they spend basically a weekend together celebrating survivorship. It's an awesome opportunity for cancer patients to get back in their community and just say thanks for all the work that you've done.
KAGAN: And this is done all across the country?
THOMAS: There are over 3, 000 communities that participate in Relay for Life.
KAGAN: Wow.
THOMAS: Yes, it's huge. And our relay is actually starting tonight at 5:00 in Virginia Beach and...
KAGAN: All right.
THOMAS: ... we've got over 462 teams of 10 to 15 people each out there this weekend.
KAGAN: And that first lap is a survivor's lap?
THOMAS: Yes.
KAGAN: How does that work?
THOMAS: The first lap is a survivor's lap. And prior to that lap, survivors have an opportunity to have a celebration together for about an hour, and then they get out there on the track and they sing songs of, you know, encouragement and whatnot. And they get out there and they walk the first lap while the entire track is filled with people just cheering and clapping them on, encouraging them.
KAGAN: I've got to think that's a very moving moment.
THOMAS: Oh, it's unbelievable.
KAGAN: Not just about the emotions, but this one's also about money because you need money to find a cure for cancer. How much money is raised through this event? And where does that money go?
THOMAS: Over $190 million...
KAGAN: Wow.
THOMAS: ... will be raised from relays this year. Yes, it's incredible. And all of that money goes back to research, education, patient services, advocacy, information. It all goes right back where it needs to go and that's back to the cancer patients themselves.
KAGAN: Before we let you go, let's learn a little bit about you. You're 19 years old, you're in college and...
THOMAS: University of Alabama.
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: Get your plug little plug in there.
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: And I also understand you're studying communication. You might want my job one day, Lindsey.
THOMAS: Well, you know, if there's an opening, let me know.
KAGAN: We'll stay in touch. You're definitely look like you're very promising and a very smart young woman.
THOMAS: Thank you so very much.
KAGAN: Continued good health and good luck with the event.
THOMAS: Thank you.
KAGAN: Lindsey Thomas, thanks for joining us.
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