Food and Relay For Life may not seem like they have a lot in common, but they're both passions of mine.

I became involved in the Relay For Life of Peabody through my dear friend, Dorrie Kimkaran. I've known and loved Dorrie for almost 25 years, since we first met at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge in 1981. Her cancer shook me. I laughed and joked with her, while quietly worrying. I was upbeat and jovial, while I was being torn apart inside. In my heart, I knew she would be a survivor, but my mind didn't always see things clearly. When she told me about the relay, I wanted to do something, and decided to create a simple web site to allow people to donate online. I was designing web sites as a hobby, and thought the internet was the way to raise fast, easy money! I was going to create a PayPal account linked to the site, and tell folks to donate there. Simple.

Two things happened. The ACS doesn't really like donation sites they don't control (makes sense, there's a lot of room for fraud out there!) and it was the first year the Kintera site was set up in New England. Even though I live in Pennsylvania, I found myself being the Online Chair for a Relay in Massachusetts! It's been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

I did set up the site - www.RelayForLifePeabody.org - I pay for and maintain the site at no cost to the Peabody Relay or the ACS - it is my personal labor of love) but now the links go to Kintera, the ACS official donation site.

I do this for a very selfish reason. I don't want anyone to ever have to go through what Dorrie went through, again. I don't want to lose another family member (I've lost several) to cancer. I don't want to feel helpless with the people I love. So here I am.