Page 7 - Dinuba Sentinel 4-18-19 E-edition

The Dinuba Sentinel Community Thursday, April 18, 2019 | A7 Scenes from city's annual Spring Fling
Relay
Continued from Page A1
recalled the words of her father when things got hard.
“He told me, ‘God is going to use this’,” she said.
“Now I can say, thanks be to God, that as of 15 days ago, I’m cancer-free.”
Andrade later led the first lap procession of cancer survivors, emotional while walking her victory lap.
Giving the opening prayer was Pastor Keven Huckaby of Dinuba’s Church of the Nazarene. Huckaby is no stranger to the effects of cancer, as he shared his own survival story.
“In October I was struggling to walk,” Huckaby told the audience. “My energy was gone. I was in constant pain. My son hadtopickmeupandputmein bed one night, because I couldn’t physically left my legs and get into my own bed.”
Huckaby, however, was happy to update the people, telling them, “Now, God has fully healed my body.”
He added that he now lives an active life and works out with his son in the morning.
This year’s theme for Dinuba’s Relay for Life was ‘Give Cancer the Boot’. Last month members from the Relay for Life community could be seen at various Dinuba intersections, collecting donations in boots.
A western theme carried out through most campsites at this
year’s event. From hay to wagons to cowboy hats and more, this year’s theme resounded throughout the campus.
Entertainment was provided throughout the day, with performances from Miss Dinuba Audrey Menard and court, singer Gabriel Hernandez, the Hawaiian dance group Island Style Productions, Zumba Dancing with Yazmin, Christian rapper Sal Mendoza, the Cruising for Jesus Band and the Dinuba Nazarene Worship Team.
Pose Salon, as they have done for many years now, was also on hand taking hair donations - used to make wigs for those undergoing chemotherapy.
And one of the highlights of the evening was the Luminaria, consisting of hundreds of lighted white paper bags lining the entire inner track of Claude Hebert Stadium. Each represented a loved one affected by cancer; some survivors, some suffering and some having succumbed.
As a reminder of cancer’s toll, Saturday’s guest speaker for the Luminaria, Susie Pantoja, could not attend due to the effects of a weakened immune system. Instead, Sanchez turned to someone she has known for years, someone who has been active in Relay for Life for just as long.
Casey Carranza could be found on Saturday manning the official
Relay for Life booth at the event. She has been serving at the booth for many years, never knowing she would also soon be sharing her story.
Carranza shared how she began having pain in her chest and breathing problems at the end of last year. The pain concerned her enough to seek treatment. However, many times her symptoms were either diagnosed as anxiety, panic attacks or a reaction to poor air quality.
But Carranza said she knew her own body and something didn’t feel right. After her mother advised her to go back to the doctor and not leave until she gets all the answers, doctors performed both a chest x-ray and a CT scan. Though the chest x-ray did not reveal anything, the CT scan allowed doctors to find a mass in her chest. That was Dec. 31.
The mass, she was later told by her doctor, extends up her neck, encasing her esophagus, and out to the left side of her body. Upon hearing that she wondered if it had anything to do with the recent tension in her neck, something she passed off as stress.
However, when the doctor felt her neck he told her, “That’s your lymph node. And I think it could be Hodgkins Lymphoma.”
A few weeks later, a biopsy revealed Carranza in fact has
Hodgkins Lymphoma, Stage 2B. She is currently on the third of 12 chemotherapy treatments and was happy to share that the mass has already decreased.
Said Carranza, “Going through this has been hard. The hardest part was seeing my family have to go through it, and everyone who cares about me. I never expected to have to deal with this... It’s been hard, but the only thing that has made it easy is having everyone there for me, and not just family and friends, but everyone I’ve ever met through Relay. It doesn’t matter if you know them, because they’re there for you and you don’t have to go looking for it. They hug you and ask you how you’re doing. That has been the biggest blessing I could ever have asked for.”
Co-leader for this year’s event, Karen Fier said the event would not be possible without the many volunteers and committee chairs and captains they were blessed
Rick Curiel | The Sentinel
Snack
The city of Dinuba held its annual Spring Fling on Saturday at Roosevelt Park, to the delight of many children of all ages. The event was complete with egg hunt (top left) where children could redeem hidden coupons for prizes.
There were also plenty of games and activities. Ian Flores, (top middle) throws a ring at the ring toss. Others tried their luck at the Water Pong Table (above).
(Far left) A young boy is delighted to find an Easter egg and carefully place it in his basket, while another young boy patiently waits for his face to be painted.
Children who attended were also able to take photos with the
Photos by Rick Curiel | The Sentinel
Easter Bunny.
At sunset on Saturday, the entire track at Dinuba High's Claude Hebert Stadium was lined with luminaria bags in honor of loved ones who have gone through the ordeal of cancer.
with.
“The passion these folks have
for Relay, for fighting cancer, is just amazing and clearly evident through their enthusiasm and commitment,’ said Fier. “I’ve been involved with Relay for 15 years not only because I believe in the mission of the American Cancer Society, but also because I get to work with such fabulous
people in the community. They make it fun.”
Also co-leading the event with Fier and Sanchez were Angie Arroyo and Trinidad Rodriguez.
Relay for Life of Dinuba will continue to receive donations for this year’s fundraiser. Donations can be made up until Aug. 31 for the 2019 event at www. relayforlife.org/dinubaca.
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