KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and SportsWalking for life

Walking for life

ROCHESTER, MN (KTTC-TV)  A life with cancer, is a life that can be filled with many dark days.

It's something that takes all the strength one can muster to fight through, especially when the disease is doubled.

For Joyce and Phil Herrick it's going to take a lot more than a change of scenery to ruin this day.

Joyce says, "Every year you add one more year to it.  It's just fantastic.  You just praise the lord, it's fantastic."

The Herrick's and thousands of others are used to taking this walk outside.  Weather moved Rochester's 15th annual Relay for Life indoors, darkening the usually glowing luminaries but not the mood.

Four thousand luminaries line the track, representing survivors and those who have lost their lives to cancer, a disease this couple knows well.

Joyce says, "The day that I got out of the hospital, out of my surgery, my husband was diagnosed with cancer."

7 years later both are cancer free and they know it's thanks to efforts like this and the hundreds raising money to fight the disease.

Patrick Clemens says, "8 years, skin cancer survivor."

Clemens is walking as both a survivor and a caregiver for his wife who's now battling ovarian cancer and the support is overwhelming.

Clemens says, "It's terrific, just terrific."

Whether walking or hopping, they're all doing it for the same reason, life.

Joyce says, "It's great it just makes you want to cry it's fantastic."

Weather was enough to change venue but one thing it couldn't dampen was spirit of those who have already been through so much.

Organizers say they expect to raise almost 200-thousand dollars for cancer research and treatment.