Saucon Valley Relay for Life Fills Hellertown with Hope

Under partly cloudy skies the participants in the 2011 Saucon Valley Relay for Life stepped off on their annual 24-hour walk-a-thon Saturday morning, amid applause and following inspiring words from cancer survivors.

Relay for Life, which promotes cancer awareness and raises money to combat the disease, is a powerful celebration of both hope and survival in the Saucon Valley and beyond.

This year's was a young man who exemplified the power of survival against all odds.

Konrad Bernardino, a fourth grade student at Southern Lehigh Intermediate School, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was just six months old.

Bernardino's mother Eileen recounted for those present what it was like to find out that her newborn had been diagnosed with the most common solid tumor childhood cancer.

"This childhood cancer is cruel," she said, as she stood on the stage with her son. In fact, more than 50 percent of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma are babies, she added.

Although his tumor was the size of a "Chicago softball" when it was discovered, early discovery and aggressive treatment helped cure him of the disease, and he will soon celebrate 10 years of being cancer-free, she announced.

"The path is not an easy one. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Bernardino said. "Those of you in purple know that better than anyone."

And there were many people proudly wearing purple at the event, which was also attended by local dignitaries, including State Rep. Robert Freeman (D-136) and Lower Saucon Township Council President Glenn Kern, who said he is a prostate cancer survivor.

"It's through your support that funding occurs for cancer research," Kern said.

After his diagnosis in 2004, he had numerous treatment options available to him, thanks to the cancer research that is funded by donations and events like Saucon Valley Relay for Life.

"I'm cancer-free right now," Kern said. "God bless you."

Hellertown Mayor Richard Fluck was also in attendance with his wife, Janice Fluck, who said she is a 28-year cancer survivor.

Many other attendees announced how long they have been cancer-free during a portion of the ceremony in which each survivor was presented with a carnation.

This year's Survivor Speaker at Saucon Valley Relay for Life was Liz Jordan, who delivered an inspirational speech about surviving her own cancer, only to lose her mother to cancer weeks ago.

Because she is a cancer survivor and has also lost someone close to her to cancer, Jordan said she is able to relate to what many Relay participants have gone through in their own lives.

"(Losing someone to cancer) is a life-changing event, as is a cancer diagnosis," she said. 

After she was diagnosed, she sought out alternative therapies such as reiki and embraced natural ways of dealing with the side effects of her treatment, she explained.

"I made the decision to turn my cancer experience into a multilevel healing event," Jordan said.

However, "every cancer story is different," she added.

"You decide how the story is told," she emphasized. "You are not powerless."

After the conclusion of the opening ceremony, participants in the Relay began their 24-hour walk around the park, which helped move the Saucon Valley Relay for Life organization closer to its fundraising goal of $74,000.