Why should we support Relay for Life? Why should we give a dollar or two? Why should we care?

The answer is simple. Because you have friends, you have a family and you — well — you have yourself.

If you were to walk around this community, you can ask any individual and find they and their family has been impacted by cancer. Either they themselves had fought the disease or someone in their family had, and, sadly, in many cases, someone in their family had fought and lost.

Friday marks the annual Dallas County Relay for Life and while it is in many cases a celebration of those survivors attending and a memorial service for those who have lost the battle, there is plenty of business taking place.

It is this event — and the thousands like it around the country — that goes to raise much needed money for cancer research. It is the hope of this Relay event, and all others, that this is the year we raise that one dollar that proves to be the one that funds a cancer cure.

For so long, our society has sat in fear of cancer. We have shuttered at the “C” word and figured being diagnosed with the disease was a death sentence of sorts.

No longer. Today, with the spirit, enthusiasm and work ethic of those raising money, it is cancer that should now fear us. It is cancer that should tremble and the counting of the dollars and coward at the sound of the footprints of those survivors, volunteers and team members who will participate this weekend.

The tide has turned against cancer, but we must continue the momentum until a cure — for all versions of cancer — is found.

We look forward to joining the hundreds who will be out at Memorial Stadium Friday night and look forward to the day when cancer can only be found in history books.