American Cancer Society Relay for Life - Benbrook, TX

It's insane but even though it's been a little over five years since my late boyfriend Ruben passed away from liver cancer at the age of 51, only two months after being diagnosed, every time I see someone who looks like him, I do a double take to see if it's him.

In a love note Ruben wrote me from 2004, a year before he was diagnosed he told me that his heart and soul would always be with me and that he would always be with me whenever I needed him, that he was going to be with me in this world to protect and love me.

Now, as I write this it's snowing much like it did on a certain romantic Valentine's Day we had.

Cancer is a very cruel disease, as someone else I know who died from the disease told her friends a few months before she passed away from colon cancer.

Every year I attend the American Cancer Society's Relays for Life in Fort Worth and Benbrook and try to add an extra one from the schedule on to my agenda that I haven't attended before.

Benbrook Lake was a favorite spot of Ruben's to hang out and fish, boat, and swim. He had lived in Fort Worth for several decades.

This year's Benbrook relay takes place April 29-30, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at the usual spot at Dutch Branch Park and as of Feb. 3, 22 teams had been formed. Like all relays, walkers raise money by walking around a track and incurring donations ahead of time, there is entertainment, kids' activities, many participants camp out, there is a luminaria ceremony, food and drinks for sale, vendors, booths, demonstrations, literature on hand, and various other activities going on throughout the evening.

For details, see http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=32317.

In unrelated cancer news, Stand Up 2 Cancer's "Launch A Star Challenge" in December was tremendous, according to a recent announcement.

To launch a star or leave a tribute, visit http://www.standup2cancer.org/custom/?c=constellation&a=index.

In other cancer news, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) Dallas Fort Worth Affiliate, with the success of their annual PurpleStride DFW and more than 1,100 people participating, raised over $200,000 for the fight against the disease in their 2010 event.

In a recent Health Day News article, a key protein is said to possibly be able to warn of the future spread of cancer, according to some scientists.

"In a new study published in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, high levels of a protein called CPE-delta N accurately predicted 90 percent of the time whether a tumor moved on from its original site in patients with liver cancer or some rare forms of adrenal cancer," the story states. "Cancer that has spread, or metastasized, is often fatal, and scientists have long tried to find ways to predict whether metastasis is likely to occur, not only to help guide and individualize treatment, but also to provide targets for potential future therapies." (http://www.cancercompass.com/cancer-news/article/35649.htm?c=NL20110202).