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Relay for Life of Troup County will host its annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society event this Friday.

The event, scheduled from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Faith Baptist Church at 552 Hammett Road, will feature a night of laughs, fellowship and awareness of cancer that affects one in three people yearly.

“It’s going to be a night to honor our survivors,” said Raquel Neal, one of the Relay’s coordinators. “Survivors are the heart of Relay. We want to honor them and tell them that they inspire us every day to be strong and courageous.”

Neal said that the goal this year is to raise $65,000 for the American Cancer Society. These funds will help the organization conduct research, share expert information, support cancer patients and spread continued awareness about cancer prevention and early detection. According to the 2022 Cancer report from the American Cancer Society, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, at least 42% of newly diagnosed cancers in the US — about 805,600 cases in 2022 — are potentially avoidable. That includes the 19% of cancers caused by smoking and at least 18% caused by a combination of excess body weight, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition and physical inactivity. A little over 1.9 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the United States alone in 2022. Breast and lung cancers remain the most dominate diagnosed cancers.

However, Neal notes efforts made by local Relay for Life groups add to the American Cancer Society’s efforts to diagnose and research cancer, making it more preventable.

“The funds raised from Relays for Life help fund the American Cancer Society in so many medical advancements such as immunizations and different kinds of medical treatments,” Neal said. “The money raised in our community helps funds for the Hope Lodge, which houses family members of cancer patients while they’re being caregivers.”

Friday’s event will feature an introduction to several area cancer survivors, the Relay for Life walk featuring sponsored teams and special entertainment by standup comedian Jessica It’s All Good.

At 9 p.m. in a special ceremony small paper lanterns will be sent to the sky in memory of those lost to cancer.

The area will be broken down into campsites, and each campsite will be sponsored by a team participating in Relay for Life. Entities such as the LaGrange Fire Department and LaGrange City Slickers will be on site selling refreshments. A Kidzone will be available in the First Baptist Church’s gym for $5.

To learn more about Relay for Life or to donate to the local chapter, visit https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=101994.