Face of hope: Survivor leads June 10 Sarnia Relay for Life cancer fundraiser

Christina Otten will wear two hats at this year’s Sarnia Relay For Life fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society on June 10.

She’s the Sarnia relay’s site leader and its Face of Hope.

“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2021,” Otten said.

“I did not do regular self-exams,” she said. “I found my lump while drying off from the shower, by chance.”

Otten said she contacted her doctor. “Thankfully, she took it very seriously and thus my journey began.”

It included surgery and 16 rounds of chemotherapy amid pandemic restrictions.

“It was challenging to go to appointments by yourself,” said the married mother of two. “My support system couldn’t be there. . . it was a very trying time.”

Otten also had to close her home daycare business.

But now, “I’m doing great,” she said. “I am a year-and-a-half cancer free, and I’m thriving.”

She now works as an educational assistance with the local public school board.

“My big message is just to advocate for self-detection and doing those monthly exams, because cancer can touch you at any age,” she said. “I had just turned 39 when I was diagnosed.”

Otten took part in the relay for the first time last year, then volunteered with the planning committee.

She also has her own relay team, Christina’s Crusaders, with about 20 members.

“It definitely hits home for me, my loved ones and close friends,” she said.

“Two in five people will be diagnosed with cancer within their lifetime, so everyone has some kind of connection to cancer, unfortunately.”

The relay has been a local tradition for two decades. This year’s event will be at the Sarnia-Lambton Western Research Park off Modeland Road, from 4 to 10 pm

“The money that we raise goes to groundbreaking cancer research,” Otten said. “Locally, we run a wig program free of charge for anyone going through treatment.”

“We do Wheels of Hope which is a shuttle service for individuals to and from cancer treatments at absolutely zero charge,” she said.

“Hopefully our efforts and fundraising is changing cancer for the future.”

For more on the relay and getting involved, visit relayforlife.ca/sarnia.

“It’s a new (relay) location this year which we’re super excited about – lots of space for lots of teams,” Otten said. “We have 26 teams signed up already, which is more than last year.

“There’s still time to sign up and build a team, or you can sign up as an individual,” she said.

“We are really encouraging more people to come out this year and join in the fun.”

There will be the traditional opening ceremonies with cancer survivors sharing their stories, followed by the Lap of Hope, the Caregivers’ Lap, “then we will get into the fun of relay, and start walking and play games,” Otten said.

There is a circus theme this year and teams are being encouraged to dress in costumes, she said. There will be food trucks on site, theme laps, a silent auction and a kids’ zone at the “family-friendly event.”

And the event will be held in-person, after a few years of virtual relays, with participants walking and fundraising on their own, amid the pandemic, she said.

Also back this year is the luminary lap, when participant carry special white bags with a light inside, and the name of a person being remembered on the outside, to end the relay.

A bagpiper will lead the lap, Otten said.

“We’ll all walk behind and reflect on our loved ones who have been touched by cancer,” she said. “It is extremely emotional but it’s probably the best part of relay, for me personally.”

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