GI ambassadors to attend Celebration on the Hill

Story and photo by Karen Keefe
Grand Island Dispatch, September 15, 2006

Grand Island Relay for Life co-chairs, Supervisor Peter McMahon and Mary Dunbar-Daluisio, are going to Washington, D.C., to be ambassadors in the nationwide Celebration on the Hill 2006. The goal is to convince members of Congress to continue and expand the funding for cancer research. A banner for the local contingent proclaims “Slaughtering Cancer,” because the group traveling to Washington is in the congressional district of U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport.

The fight against cancer is going nationwide, and Grand Island will be well represented.

Grand Island Relay For Life co-chairmen Peter McMahon and Mary Dunbar-Daluisio have been named ambassadors to represent the Island in the national Celebration on the Hill 2006. The event will be held in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 19, and Wednesday, Sept. 20.

McMahon and Dunbar-Daluisio will be among 10,000 fellow ambassadors, cancer survivors and volunteers from every congressional district in the country at the event, which is being hosted by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action network. The Celebration on the Hill was first held in 2002.

During the event, they will meet with lawmakers to ask that Congress make cancer a national priority by boosting the federal commitment to cancer research and programs. Participants will also converge on the National Mall to share stories about how their lives have been touched by cancer.

Dunbar-Daluisio, a cancer survivor herself, said every state will have its own tent. New York’s will feature a photo of the Grand Island bridge, in keeping with the theme of Building Bridges. “We made up hard hats with models of the Capitol Building on top,” she said. “There’s a possibility of nationwide coverage, so people should watch their national news on the 20th. We should be easy to spot,” she said.

“The huge banner that we had at the Relay For Life is also going to be on display in Washington. So all our signatures will be there,” she said.

Grand Island is part of the 28th Congressional District of U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport, and so, the local theme is “Slaughtering Cancer.” The local representatives will be joined by people from Tonawanda, Lewiston and West Seneca, among other Western New York municipalities that have an annual Relay For Life to fund the fight against cancer.

This year’s Grand Island Relay For Life raised $110,000 in a large community celebration that saw 67 teams and more than 1,000 participants.

McMahon said the kickoff for the whole Western New York campaign for cancer funds will be held Monday at Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park.

The Celebration on the Hill honors cancer survivorship and aims to educate people, commemorate those who have passed away from cancer and engage members of Congress in the fight against the disease.