Oceanside CA— Sisters, Maria Martini and Michelle Martini-Brown, are team captains for Team Martini Madness, one of thirty teams participating in this year’s American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life beginning on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at the MiraCosta College Athletic Field.
The sisters lost their father, Paul Martini, in the summer of 2013 after a very brief battle with lung cancer. Martini spent the last years of his life as a dedicated member of the Tri City Auxiliary and was at the beginning of serving his third year as the Auxiliary President when he received his devastating diagnosis and shortly thereafter passed away in the hospital that he passionately served. “There was actually a moment in his battle where he considered putting off a treatment because he had a board meeting to attend,” Martini-Brown said, “Up until the very end, his thoughts were with the hospital and all of the volunteers.” Maria Martini added, “It was incredibly moving to see half of the church at his funeral service filled with his fellow Auxiliary members all dressed in their bright blue vests.”
When the sisters finally regained their footing they searched for a worthy cause to continue their father’s legacy of volunteerism. Last year, a member from the Tri City Hospital Relay For Life team reached out to them to join their team and after experiencing the event first-hand, which is a celebration at heart, they were all in and Team Martini Madness was born.
Each team is responsible for fundraising before and during the event. This year each team chose a country to represent in conjunction with this year’s theme, “Relay Around the World.” Their team will be representing England and will include an Abbey Road photo spot and a Doctor Who theme, including a Dalek and a T.A.R.D.I.S.. The sisters’ first year goal is to raise $1000, but looks forward to growing this amount in what hopes to be their long-term involvement. The Relay For Life of Oceanside is on target to raise $100,000 this year.
Want to join in the celebration? For more information on the Relay For Life of Oceanside visit www.relayforlife.org/oceansideca.
About Relay For Life:
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Oceanside is a 24-hour event taking place on April 16th – 17th, 2016 from 10:00am-10:00am at MiraCosta College Football Field (1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056). Join local volunteers and participants from the community and celebrate cancer survivors, remember those lost to the disease, and take action to save more lives from cancer. The opening ceremony, which includes a special Survivors Lap, will begin at 10:00am. A Luminaria Ceremony to honor cancer survivors and remember those lost to cancer will take place at 9:00pm. The closing ceremony will be at 9:00am on Sunday, April 17.
About American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 2.5 million volunteers saving lives and fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society’s efforts have contributed to a 22 percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since 1991, and a 50 percent drop in smoking rates. Thanks in part to our progress; 14.5 million Americans who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate more birthdays this year. We’re determined to finish the fight against cancer. We’re finding cures as the nation’s largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, clean air, and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.