Celtics For a Cure Team Gears Up for Relay for Life

With both his mother and father-in-law having passed away this year from cancer, Mike Bruno of Lemont already has two reasons too many to participate in the American Cancer Society's .

But it’s not just for those family members that the Lemont resident and his team, Celtics For a Cure, are joining this weekend’s event for the third year in a row.

Bruno and fellow team captain Melissa McGuire, who has a history of cancer in her family, are also walking to boost awareness and raise funds for cancer research.

“Unfortunately, as people are going through it there’s nothing you can do to help them so this was a way we could try and help people,” Bruno said. “And not only our family members but others as well.”

“I think many families deal with it,” McGuire said. “Unfortunately too many. We aren’t unique in that.”

Relay For Life is a family-focused, overnight event to fight cancer. Teams and individuals raise funds, prior to and at the event, to help fight cancer and save lives.

Bruno’s mother passed away from lung cancer in January and his wife Eileen’s father died from lymphoma in March.

“They were both very dear to us,” Bruno said.

Already, Celtics for a Cure, which is comprised mainly of parents and teachers from in Lemont, has raised more than $10,000 through fund-raisers and donations.

As in past years, Celtics for a Cure members will don team shirts which include a list of names on the back submitted from the Alphonsus/St. Patrick Catholic School community honoring people who are currently battling cancer and those who have passed away from cancer. The shirts are the brainchild of McGuire.

“The first year we did it I thought, ‘We’ve got to get some kind of cool T-shirt made where everyone can participate,’” she said. “We add to the column every year. It’s a very unique and memorable shirt.”

The Relay For Life of Lemont/Homer Glen begins with an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday, and ends at 6 a.m. Saturday.

Bruno and his teammates are not worried about staying awake for the all-night event.

“When you’re walking through the night and talking time goes very fast,” he said.

Keep up with Celtics for a Cure by visiting their website.