Team Laura raised almost $20,000 in honour of sales rep Renate Martin’s daughter Laura.

Renate Martin, a sales rep with Coldwell Banker The Brick Realty in Niagara Falls, Ont., writes: “I lost my daughter Laura to sarcoma cancer on October 27, 2009 after a six-year battle.  In her honour and memory, her family and mine decided to participate in the Guelph ‘Relay for Life’ on June 11. A lot of hard work and emotion were channelled into this important challenge. Our team race is now over and thanks to the overwhelming support of family and friends; I was able to contribute almost $4,000. Collectively, our Team Laura raised almost $20,000 in memory of my daughter Laura.

 “What a magnificent tribute. Emotionally there were times when it was very draining, and a lot of tears were shed. I also learned a lot about cancer that I did not know before. I think for me the generosity of everyone was inspiring. People truly wanted to help to find a cure for cancer. I was shocked to discover just how many lives are affected by cancer. While I canvassed my own neighbours, one of them was just recuperating from losing three-quarters of his lung to cancer while he handed me his donation. Wow. One of my clients made a generous donation, while they shared that their niece was again battling the big C. A co-worker battled breast cancer twice and a prominent community member displayed his radiation mask on his office floor as a reminder of what he had gone through.

“We started at 7 pm and went until 7 am. At 4 am I was still on the track, continuing my marathon race. The birds were just beginning to sing and the sky was getting lighter. I looked up to the heavens, talking with Laura and sensed that she was so proud of all we had accomplished. I know we can’t bring her back and I believe she is in a better place. We all were on a high at the end of the race and have made a commitment to repeat this in 2011.  I thank everyone for participating with Team Laura and for fighting back.”