Bellefontaine High School students and staff teamed up to fight cancer prior to the end of the school year through the annual Relay For Life fundraiser at AcuSport Stadium.
BHS junior Hilary Horn shared her mom’s battle with cancer. Lori Horn, who’s a teacher at Bellefontaine Intermediate School, was diagnosed with breast cancer last fall.
Mrs. Horn continues her recovery after a lengthy surgery several weeks ago.
Hilary detailed that experience to the entire high school. Following her speech, attendees walked a lap around the track.
BHS Relay For Life organizer Jean Minnick appreciated the personal connection of Hilary’s speech.
“I was really pleased to have Lori Horn’s family here for our assembly. Lori’s daughter Hilary showed a lot of courage in standing up in front of the entire student body and telling her story.
“Her message makes Relay real. Our students knew they were not just there for fun and games; they were there to spend money on those games for Relay.”Sixteen student groups organized games or sold food around the stadium.
The one-hour Relay Celebration raised $1,600.
Earlier this month, BHS raised $1,000 in a 9th-period challenge where each class was challenged to raise $100.
A few other activities were conducted throughout the school year and the final tally is expected to be around $4,000.
The Relay for Life is the national fundraising branch of the American Cancer Society. Its mission is to support cancer patients, raise awareness about the causes of cancer and the importance of early screening, and fund research for new treatments.