Faces, Places & Voices Of PVREA: Danielle Polokoff

Meet Danielle, PVREA Member & Relay For Life Event Co-Chair

Cancer has touched all of us in one way or another – whether a friend, family member or even yourself. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life looks to bring passionate individuals together to help end cancer as we know it for everyone. A country-wide event, Relay For Life raises money for cancer research, honors those who have fought cancer, and helps educate about cancer prevention, research, and patient support.

Danielle is a volunteer co-chair for this year’s Relay For Life of Northern Colorado, but she’s no stranger to the event. Having attended her first Relay For Life in 2010, she’s since participated in or helped organize a total of six Relays.

“I Relay because my mom passed from cancer. About six months after my mom passed, one of the other committee members had asked my friend to join the committee, and said ‘Hey, do you want to do this with me?’ and here we are.”

Relay For Life is an emotional event, featuring a luminaria ceremony to honor and remember loved ones. But it’s also a celebration – a time to celebrate survivors, caregivers, and remember those who have touched our lives.

“Everyone’s luminaria is the hardest part, the most emotional part,” Danielle said. “But it’s the part that brings everyone together.”

The variety of moving parts to organize and ensure the eight-hour event runs smoothly can be a challenge, but Danielle and other 15 members of the Relay For Life committee have been hard at work organizing and getting everything ready for this year’s event on July 13. From finding auction items to help raise money to putting together a plethora of fun games based on this year’s Olympic theme, including pool-noodle fencing and Zumba rhythmic gymnastics, there’s plenty to do.

Getting Involved

Everyone plays an important role in Relay For Life: People who join a team, raise money, spend time organizing and setting up the event as a committee member, or attend for a portion of the event, help lead the fight for a world without cancer.

When asked what it means to come together with everyone for Relay, both in celebration of the survivors and in the name of raising money and remembering those loved ones lost, Danielle left us with this:

“Celebrate, remember, fight back,” Danielle said. “That’s really what it is. It’s a hard thing to deal with, but we really are about remembering those who have passed … it’s hard, and there are a lot of tears, but we have a lot of fun at Relay, and that’s why we do it.”

You can join us and the other participants at this year’s Relay For Life on July 13, starting at 4 pm at University High School in Greeley. For more information including how to donate, start a team, and more event details, head to the Relay For Life page.