Sylvie Belmond 
Be the strength: support survivors and honor loved ones at Simi Town Center
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is more than a fundraiser. It is a day to come together as a community, to celebrate survivors, to remember loved ones and to push forward for a future with less cancer. Organizers hope the community will show up on Oct. 18 to walk, volunteer or simply be present.
Everyone knows someone who has been touched by cancer. A parent, a friend, a neighbor. Holly Stone knows this all too well.
Holly first connected with Relay For Life in 2015, shortly after her father died of pancreatic cancer. He had been diagnosed only nine months before. Holly and her sister were raised by him alone, and losing him was devastating. Around the same time, her best friend’s mother was diagnosed. That friend suggested they get involved with Relay as a way to cope with grief and turn loss into action.
The suggestion stuck. Holly began attending the annual walk, and when the pandemic ended and the local event no longer had a committee, she was asked to step up as chair.
“Being a part of this event definitely helped with my grief and now seeing how it helps others is what makes me want to keep this event going,” Holly, a Simi Valley resident, said in an email.
Over the years, she has lost another family member to cancer and had several friends diagnosed. Survivors have told her how meaningful the gathering is for them, how they look forward to being part of the activities and finding comfort among others who understand.
This year marks 40 years since the American Cancer Society launched Relay For Life. The effort began in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours to raise money and awareness, under the idea that cancer never sleeps. The Simi Valley and Moorpark versions of the walk started separately and merged into one in 2018. Locally, the fundraiser has been held at different venues over the years, including Royal High School. Today it has a home at the Simi Valley Town Center.
The format has also changed. What used to be 24 hours is now a 12-hour gathering.
“When we came back after the pandemic, our participants voted to change to a 12 hour event and not stay overnight,” Holly said.
This year’s walk is Saturday, October 18, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Simi Valley Town Center’s center court. Teams will set up tents in the corridors and participants will walk laps through the mall, from one end to the other.
“The purpose of the Relay For Life event, besides fundraising, is to unite as a community to celebrate our cancer survivors, fight back against cancer and to remember those we have lost,” Holly said.
Survivors will be honored with a free breakfast at 9 a.m. in their own tent, followed by the opening ceremony and a first lap shared with caregivers. They are welcome to spend the day there, with snacks, drinks, games, and activities set aside just for them.
At 8 p.m. the lights dim for the Luminaria ceremony. Homemade bags line the “track” and glow as names are read, honoring those who have died and those still living with cancer.
“Many of us participate in Relay For Life to fight back against cancer,” Holly said.
The day is also set to include a kids’ zone, live music, a trick-or-treat hour from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., a Halloween costume contest at 2:30 p.m., vendors, a silent auction and shopping opportunities. A pumpkin patch inside the mall, hosted by a local real estate agent, will add to the seasonal fun.
Funds raised during through Relay for Life go not only toward cancer research but also to programs and support that help survivors and families. Beyond the event, the American Cancer Society offers year-round resources, from the Road To Recovery® program that provides free rides to treatment, to Reach To Recovery® support for those facing breast cancer, and a 24/7 helpline staffed by trained cancer information specialists.
Since the pandemic, the local gathering has felt smaller, with fewer teams and volunteers.
“We would love for more community members of all ages to become involved again,” Holly said. “Fighting cancer is still as important as it has always been.”
The American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 2 million new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. in 2025 — about 5,600 each day — and over 618,000 deaths.
Organizers of the local Relay say the theme, ‘Don’t Get Spooked by Cancer,’ is a reminder that while the disease can feel frightening, the community can face it together with strength and hope.
To join in, visit relayforlife.org/simimoorparkca or find Relay For Life of Simi-Moorpark on Facebook and Instagram.
