Salem Advocate Hosts Grand Cancer Tribute Wednesday Night

Cancer became a dominant force in Kathy Ottele’s world years ago, taking some of the most important people to her and threatening her life several times as well.

That’s why she decided to become one of the nation’s great individual forces against cancer. Next week she’s inviting her fellow Oregonians to join her in spectacular remembrance of those lost, honor those in the fight or who have survived the battle. Ottele is planning one of the nation’s largest hometown Lights of Hope displays, working with local volunteers and business sponsors to illuminate 1,500 honorary bags at Salem’s Riverfront City Park on Wednesday, August 28 at 8 p.m. The public is invited to attend and contribute to the display.

Ottele has volunteered for years with the American Cancer Society and, more recently, has become a force for legislative and local policy change with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. This display is maybe Ottele’s grandest act yet, her fifth personal Lights of Hope event that will be her biggest ever and one of the largest in the nation.

“Every one of us has been touched by cancer,” Ottele said. “I hope this is a way that somebody can honor a survivor or somebody who has lost their life and that they feel like ‘this is my voice and it is truly being heard’ and that every official is listening and they know that our mission is to end cancer as we know it for everyone.”

Ottele’s work is part of ACS CAN’s annual Lights of Hope event, a powerful tribute to honor and remember loved ones impacted by cancer. This year, the organization celebrates its 14th anniversary of the event in the form of 70,000-lit bags displayed in Washington, DC, and neighborhoods throughout the country.

Ottele is one of the top individual fundraisers in America, raising more than $15,000 with the help of local businesses like Salem Health, Mitch Ratzlaff and Ted Ferry State Farm Insurance, Valley Credit Union, WVP Health Authority, Keudell/Morrison Wealth Management, Green Acres Landscaping Inc., ATRIO Health Plans and McDonalds of Salem/Keizer.

Her display will be grand, but her message is simple: “Get screened. Cancer does not wait and neither should you!”