[Note from editor: For the sake of keeping giving on our minds for the entire holiday season, we’re going to highlight a non profit organization or specific good deed that has been done everyday until New Year’s as part of our Real Estate Doers Make a Difference campaign]

Non Profit Highlight: Clark County ACS Relay for Life

My name is Dale Chumbley and I AM A SURVIVOR! At this time 15 years ago, I was fighting for my life. I had just had a couple different surgeries and was being infused with my second round of what would be 16 half-day marathons of chemotherapy. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease Stage 4B the week before Thanksgiving in 1997 at the ripe age of 27. Unfortunately, my story is not isolated or uncommon. Cancer royally SUCKS and affects every single one of us. Cancer does not care who you are, where you come from, how much money you have, it attacks with a vengeance regardless. I cannot think of one person on this spinning ball we call Earth who has not been hit in some way by cancer…

So when Drew texted me and asked what local charity I normally donate to, the answer was immediate. The Relay For Life of Vancouver, WA has been there for me since the beginning. In fact, I’ve been part of this local event for half of my life. Twenty years ago I worked for the local paper and we always had a team at this event. So, I was working hard each year to raise money to help with giving hope to patients, providing support to the caregivers and searching for a cure to this horrid disease. My support continued even stronger once I became a patient and now a survivor. This local 24 hour event has raised in excess of 5 million dollars for the American Cancer Society so far. This year’s theme falls in line with their 25th silver anniversary. It’s The Hope * The Cure * The Silver Lining.

There are many ways to get involved with Relay For Life. Whether you come to the local Vancouver, WA event at Columbia River High School on July 20-21, 2013 from 10:00AM – 10:00AM or find a local Relay For Life in your own community, you won’t regret it. Sign up to be on a team or maybe start your own team, it’s easy and fun! Again, find the local Relay For Life in your area and get signed up. There’s lots of information on how to get involved on the main Relay website. If you are a survivor, or know a survivor, make sure you invite them to participate in the opening Survivor lap. It’s an emotional, inspirational time with plenty of tears and smiles. Give! This is all about raising money for research and support to the fight against cancer so we ask without shame. Please give what you can. Every dollar helps and is appreciated greatly!

Need more information? Below is a wonderful video produced by the Relay For Life and it breaks it all down in a very touching, beautiful way. Please get involved, share and give! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

We have until January 2 to reach our goal of $2,500 for Real Estate Doers Make a Difference (#REDMAD) — please take a minute and contribute $20 to Habitat for Humanity.