Los Amigos de Nico, one of the many Relay for Life fundraising teams, will once again dedicate its efforts to benefit former Madison resident, Nicolas “Nico” Uribe. The team was formed in 2010 as part of the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life of Madison/Florham Park. Uribe, a 7 year old, has battled Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since February 2009. The team is engaged in fundraising efforts until the overnight event on June 23^rd-24^th at Madison High School.

Friend, former neighbor, and team captain Daniela Cleary decided to return for this year’s Relay for Life in order to support Nico’s long and courageous fight against Leukemia. Since its formation, Cleary’s team has raised over $9,000 for the American Cancer Society in honor of Nico, who now lives in Switzerland but remains in contact with Cleary. “Relay for Life will be a big celebration for our team,” Cleary said. She added, “Nico has responded very well to his chemotherapy treatment.” On April 24^th, Nico received his final dosage of chemotherapy. A few days earlier, on April 22^nd, Nico celebrated his 8^th birthday.

Los Amigos de Nico is inviting the public to Relay for Life to celebrate Nico’s milestone end of cancer treatment. Although Nico will not be in attendance this year, other cancer survivors will walk around the track during the opening Survivors’ Lap. Cleary said that the team is very thankful for the support and donations it has received thus far from neighbors, friends, and merchants. She singled out Joe and Mary Lou Chiarolanzio, owners of Romanelli’s Pizza and Italian Eatery, located at 42 Lincoln Place in Madison, for their generous financial donation and for providing food for the overnight team members. Investors Savings Bank, located at 16 Waverly Place in Madison, is also a major sponsor of Los Amigos de Nico.

Donations to the Los Amigos de Nico team may be sent to: American Cancer Society, Attention: Relay for Life of Madison/Florham Park, 7 Ridgedale Avenue, Suite 103, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07920; or online at www.RelayForLife.org/MadisonNJ.

Relay for Life

The annual major fundraising event is scheduled to start on Saturday afternoon, June 23^rd, at Madison High School. Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s season-long effort to create a world with “less cancer and more birthdays,” by helping people stay well and get well, finding cures, and fighting back against cancer. Hundreds of people on 17 teams are already lined up for the Relay, about 30 more teams are expected to join the movement before June.

The sixth annual Relay For Life of Madison/Florham Park is a volunteer-driven community event that allows participants from all walks of life – including cancer survivors, families, friends, corporations, civic organizations, schools, religious groups, and concerned community members – to join together in the fight against cancer.

The overnight celebration features individuals and teams enjoying a meal, dancing, and taking turns circling a track relay style. New this year, a Family Fun Fair will be held from 4:00-6:00 pm. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and local kid-friendly businesses are hosting carnival game booths. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Relay For Life. At nightfall, Relay for Life participants take part in a touching ceremony honoring cancer survivors, as well as paying tribute to those lost to the disease.

Relay will be held on the grounds of Madison High School from Saturday afternoon, June 23^rd, to Sunday morning, June 24^th. While other activities are held on the high school grounds, a team member is required to be on the track at all times and can choose to walk, run, or skip.

Members of the public are invited to participate in Relay by registering online at www.relayforlife.org/MadisonNJ. For a $10 commitment fee and at least $90 in fundraising, participants will receive a t-shirt to wear at Relay if registered online by Thursday, May 17^th. The commitment fee at the event will be $15.

For information on volunteering or local corporate sponsorship, or to find out how to build a team, call (800) 227-2345 or visit www.relayforlife.org/MadisonNJ. Donations can be made online as well.

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American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society has nearly a century of experience in saving lives and ending suffering from cancer. With a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, the American Cancer Society works to help people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; by offering support after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer; and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.

The American Cancer Society is the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.86 billion since 1985. As a result, according to the Society, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year.

To learn more about the American Cancer Society or to get help, call (800) 227-2345 anytime, day or night, or visit www.cancer.org.