Most people realize life willbreak them down at somepoint.

For Patty Ulrick of Austin, thatmoment happened two years agowhen she was diagnosed withbreast cancer.“It was like a kick in the stom-

ach,” Ulrick said about the mo-ment she found out. “It wasprobably one of the most frighten-ing things that can happen, butyou’re forced to regroup, use yoursupport systems.”And Ulrick did regroup. She is a

survivor, cancer-free and one ofthis year’s honorary chairs at

Mower County’s Relay for LifeAug. 6 and 7. She is a Relay forLife team captain, attending therelay for her second year and astrong advocate for cancer re-search — with good reason.Not only did Ulrick cope with

her own struggles with cancer, hermother died of melanoma whenUlrick was 9 years old. Thoughdoctor’s didn’t find the mutant,breast cancer-causing gene in herfamily’s DNA, Ulrick has otherfamily members who have dealtwith cancer.

Honorary survivor

Patty Ulrick, left, and Anika Chesak wave to the crowd in the Fourth of July parade lastmonth. Ulrick and Chesak are cancer survivors, and she and Chesak will be the honorarychairs for this year’s Relay for Life.> SURVIVOR continues on 3

Story by Matt Peterson • Photo provided

Austin woman with family historyof cancer survives to tell her story

2 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - RELAY FOR LIFE

By Adam Harringa

When talking about the MowerCounty Relay for Life, event chairLinda Baier is quick to point out theAmerican Cancer Society fundraiserisn’t just for cancer survivors — it’sfor everyone.“People think you have to be a par-

ticipant to come down, but you don’t,”she said. “It’s open to the public andwe hope everyone will come down andexperience this awesome communityevent.Baier said almost everyone is af-

fected by cancer in some way.“I think most people know someone

who has cancer, whether a friend,family member or co-worker,” Baiersaid. “What we’re doing is not onlyraising money for cancer research,but we’re honoring the people who arefighting cancer and rememberingthose who didn’t make it. It’s a good

community event.”The Relay, which begins at 3 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 6 at Bandshell Park, isopen to the public and includes enter-tainment for all ages. There aregames, food, live music, a water slidefor children, and live and silent auc-tions.The water slide —which is $5 per

child for unlimited slides —was amajor attraction last year, Baier said,and she hopes that will be true Satur-day.Baier said it looks like this year’s

fundraising total will be down from2010, when the local event raised$98,475. Baier said they are down afew teams from last year, but teamscan still register by calling 507-440-1024 or on site the day of the event.“I’m hoping that I will be surprised

(and the total will be higher),” shesaid. “We’re hoping for a big crowd tocome down.”

Live musical entertainment in-cludes AdamWayneWollenburg, anAustin High School graduate who re-cently moved back to Austin after liv-ing in Nashville, Tenn., where he hada country music contract. Also fea-tured are Second Edition, an all-women a capella group, and TeilerMiller, a 17-year-old Austin HighSchool student who was chosen to au-dition for NBC’s “The Voice.”While entertainment will attract

many, Baier said it’s also a time forhealing.“Cancer is not easy on the person

(who has it), but it’s also hard on thecaretakers and family,” she said.“We’re doing all we can to help findthe cures .”An opening ceremony starts at 6

p.m. with a survivors’ lap followed bya balloon release. Baier encouragesanyone dealing with cancer to come.“I think it’s a sense of together-

ness, healing,” she said. “There’s peo-ple down there who have gonethrough the same thing (everyone

with cancer) has gone through, and Ithink it’s just a great experience and alot of new friendships are formed.”A luminary is scheduled at dusk,

something she said many enjoy.“When we light the luminaries at

night,” she said. “It pretty muchleaves everybody speechless.”

Everyone welcome at Relay for LifeMMoowweerr CCoouunnttyy RReellaayy ffoorr LLiiffee

WWhheenn — 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 6WWhheerree — Bandshell Park

WWhhoo— Everyone. Mower CountyRelay for Life chair Linda Baier saidthe public is invited to support theannual American Cancer SocietyFundraiser. She said they are stilllooking for more relay teams, as thenumber of teams and fundraisingtotal appear to be lower than

last year’s tally. Call 507-440-1024 to sign up

or for more information.

A 2010 Relay for Life participant prepares to release his balloons. — Herald file photo

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - RELAY FOR LIFE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011 3

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Relay for life is a good wayfor her to fight back. Raisingawareness about cancer is Ul-rick’s main goal because she —like others — had the samemindset that says, “It won’t hap-pen to me.”“You don’t feel immune, but

you don’t ever really think it’sgoing to happen to you,” Ulricksaid.She also wants to raise

awareness because even though

there are many survivors, can-cer is still killing too many peo-ple. Ulrick said she doesn’t wantto wear her story on her sleeve,but she feels it is necessary forthose struggling with cancer tohear it because they often feelalone — just like she did at first.“In my experience, bearing

the unknown was almost worsethan going through it,” Ulricksaid.So Ulrick isn’t afraid to talk

about cancer anymore, eventhough her story repeats thesame points as many others’stories.“Gosh, my story is every-

body’s story,” Ulrick said, de-tailing what it’s like having totalk about cancer survival. “Butif one person can become moreaware and more proactive, thenthat’s great.”Part of Ulrick’s mission as a

Relay for Life team captain is toraise funds for cancer research.In just one month after sending

out cancer fliers, she collectednearly $2,500 dollars for Relayfor Life. Ulrick also found awhole new community throughRelay for Life — one that paysclose attention to cancer andprovides support for thosestruggling with the disease.“You’re just full of exposure

to other survivors,” she said.She added people reached out

to her when she had cancer, sothat’s why she is ready to shareher experiences and give back.“I’m more than happy to help

other people with that,” Ulricksaid about discussing cancerwith people looking for support.If anything positive can come

from cancer, it’s likely the unityit forms in communities. Andthrough all the pitfalls of can-cer, Ulrick has at least gainedsomething for herself, too.“It actually made me

stronger,” she said.

From Page 1

Survivor: ‘Gosh, my story is everybody’s story.’““IItt wwaass lliikkee aa kkiicckk iinn tthhee ssttoommaacchh.. IItt wwaass

pprroobbaabbllyy oonnee ooff tthhee mmoosstt ffrriigghhtteenniinngg tthhiinnggss

tthhaatt ccaann hhaappppeenn,, bbuutt yyoouu’’rree ffoorrcceedd ttoo

rreeggrroouupp..”

-Patty UlrickBreast cancer survivor

Relay for Lifeschedule of events

MMaaiinn eevveennttss- 3 p.m. — Silent auction- 4-6 p.m. — Live auction

- 6 p.m. — Opening ceremony- Dusk — Luminary

- All day — Entertainment and speakers- All day — A water slide down Skinner’s Hill.

Bracelets are $5 for unlimited slides.

SSttaaggee sscchheedduullee- 3-3:15 p.m. — Relay update

- 3:15-4:15 p.m. — Entertainment by Teiler Miller

- 4:15-4:45 p.m. — Break- 4:45-5 p.m. — Fight Back Ceremony

- 5-6 p.m. — Entertainment by Second Edition- 7-7:30 p.m. — TBA

- 8 p.m.-dusk — Entertainment by Adam Wayne Wollenburg

AAuuccttiioonn iitteemmss iinncclluuddee:: Mall of America funpasses; Chanhassen Dinner Theatre tickets;dinner for six cooked in your home by ChefElizabeth from Hy-Vee, wine included, $600value; one dozen brownies a month for oneyear from Sterling Cafe; a website packagevalued at $1,000 from Studio Ten Design;Relay for Life round hole/square bag gamemade by Jerry Wilkinson; golf packages;

lamps from Brick Furniture; various gift cer-tificates; and much more.2010 Relay for Life participants walk

past luminaries. — Herald file photo

By Trey Mewes

Anika Chesak is one pluckyseven-year-old.She overcame rhabdomyosar-

coma, a rare type of cancer that af-fects muscletissue, last fall.She went throughsix weeks of radi-ation and 42 weeksof chemotherapy.She traveled toHouston, Texas,for treatment andsuffered the typical side effects (in-cluding nausea) that other peopleget. And she did it with determina-tion, part of the reason why she’sone of the honorary chairs of thisyear’s Relay For Life.“She just wanted to get better

and play again,” said Anika’smother, Sherry. “There was noquestion in her mind that she wasgoing to get better.”The diagnosis came in Novem-

ber of 2009: Anika had a canceroustumor behind her right eye. Likemany types of sarcoma, the tumorwasn’t in one solid mass.“It had a lot of fingers going in

many directions,” Sherry said.That diagnosis meant

chemotherapy and radiation,scary enough for most people butjust a bump in the road for Anika.“She showed so much bravery,”

Sherry said.She went through six weeks of

radiation at The University ofTexas MD Anderson Cancer Cen-ter in Houston. She’d go throughradiation treatment and stay forseveral days at a time, since hertemperature would go up and she’dhave to fight off the radiation’sside effects.The chemotherapy went easier

for Anika, as she would go to MayoClinic every three weeks or so andstay a single night.“She had the typical nausea, but

she handled it quite well comparedto some people,” Sherry said.Anika went into remission last

September, when doctors said thetumor behind her eye turned intoscar tissue. Though she isn’t con-

sidered safe until at least fiveyears out from the cancer, Anikaacts like a typical 7-year-old: shegoes to the pool, has friends overand wants to play a lot.“She just seems to be like a nor-

mal kid,” said herfather Andy.Anika takes life

in stride, and shesays it’s good thatshe beat cancer. Sheeven got to ride inthe Fourth of Julyparade in a car,

which she says was pretty good.Her parents are grateful the com-munity has come together aroundAnika after the year she’s had.“That makes her feel pretty

good,” Andy said. “It’s pretty neatwhen the community does some-thing like this.”

4 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - RELAY FOR LIFE

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Mower County Relay for Life participants walk past luminaries at 2010’s event. — Heraldfile photo

7-year-old battles rare cancer

““SShhee jjuusstt wwaanntteedd ttoo ggeett bbeetttteerr aanndd ppllaayy aaggaaiinn..

TThheerree wwaass nnoo qquueessttiioonn iinn hheerr mmiinndd sshhee wwaass

ggooiinngg ttoo ggeett bbeetttteerr..”

-Sherry ChesakMother of Anika Chesak, a 7-year-old cancer survivor