FishHawk Creek MOMS Club Relays For Life at Newsome High

Members of the MOMS Club of Lithia-FishHawk Creek showed up in force for the American Cancer Society's 2013 FishHawk Relay For Life at Newsome High School.

There, Lesly Morton, Natasha Hansley and Kerry Williams, spotted holding bouqets of balloons on the track, spoke about their reasons for participating in the March 23-24 fundraiser.

"We all have somebody who's been touched by cancer," Hansley said. "My mother had breast cancer and she survived. And I'm a nurse who worked years and years with breast cancer patients. Some survived, some didn't."

Cancer fighters and survivors are remembered at annual overnight Relays For Life, which this year include six such events in Eastern Hillsborough County alone.

• See , includes information about Relays at Armwood, Brandon, Bloomingdale and Plant City high schools.

"It's a happy time today because everyone is supporting [the cancer fighter]," Hansley said. Cancer figthers, she added, need to "keep fighting" because "every day is special, like today."

"There's memories out of every day," she added.

Morton, too, saw the universal need for an annual season of Relay For Life events.

"Cancer can always affect you," she said. "Cancer will touch all of our lives in one way or another. But cancer can be overcome."

The mass of people walking the event's initial "survivor's lap" give testament to that.

"It means that there's hope and you shouldn't give up," Morton said.

The survivor's lap "is a touching moment for everybody," Williams added. "It brings everybody together. I'm proud of the way our whole club is participating."

The MOMS Club meets one Wednesday a month and holds several mom's nights out throughout the month as well as weekly play groups by age. The club's purpose is to give children and parents a support group of friends by the time their children enter FishHawk Creek Elementary School, which also had a strong presence at the FishHawk Relay For Life.

The school's "Finding Nemo" booth was chaired by co-captains Kelly Smith and Rachel Smith (who are not related).

Said Principal Pam Bush: "We're a united group for finding a cure for cancer."

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To inquire about MOMS Club of Lithia-FishHawk Creek membership, email momsclubfhc@gmail.com.

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RELATED COVERAGE: 

• 2013 Relays For Life at Riverview and Newsome High Schools

• 'Team Heater' Stays Strong at 2013 Riverview Relay For Life

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