American Cancer Society

Walkers finished Genesee Community College's six-hour "mini Relay for Life" last night with a dusk "Luminaria Ceremony" honoring the memory of cancer victims and people lives have been touched by cancer. The bags lining their path contained lit candles and each one was dedicated to a particular individual.

Suzanne Smith, of Batavia, "Luminaria Ceremony" coordinator and cancer survivor, is pictured here with her sons, Richie and Mikey.

This is the college's second annual "mini Relay for Life," which is a partnership between GCC's Wellness Center and the American Cancer Society.  It is also a sort of prelude to the annual "Relay for Life" at Van Detta Stadium, which will be held on Aug. 24.

More pictures:

Kristina Groff, American Cancer Society staff partner, and Michelle Williams, the event chair.

Master of Ceremonies John Kochmanski, who is with the college's radio station.

Jace Little, fundraising specialist and safety officer at College Village, and Tiffany Ralston, who was on the event's public relations committee and serves as a "Living Learning" advisor at College Village.

For more information on "Relay for Life," visit relayforlife.org/bataviany

Every year in Genesee County, 350 people are diagnosed with cancer and 100 people die from cancer, which is why, according to a group of the American Cancer Society who were in Batavia today, cancer should be an important election issue.

Americans need research and treatment for the disease and the assurance of funding for both, according to Hillary Clarke, director of federal government relations, so this is an issue voters should take up with candidates for office.

At www.cancervotes.org is a voter's guide for the presidential election with responses from the two major party candidates, but Clarke said neither of the candidates for the NY-27 Congressional District responded to the Cancer Action Network's survey.

Contacted today, a spokesman for Kathy Hochul's campaign said Hochul did respond and her answers are posted on the Web site. We've not been able to find those answers and requested a direct link to the appropriate page.

The spokesman for Chris Collins, Micheal Kracker, sent the following statement in response to a simple question of what would Collins do to support the fight against cancer.

"As the brother of a cancer survivor, Chris Collins knows how important it is to support cancer research. Chris also recognizes how important it is to make sure no government bureaucracy stops doctors from giving patients like Chris' sister the treatment they need to stay healthy. We need to be sure that doctors, not government bureaucrats determine how best to care for patients. We must also promise to protect Medicare for our seniors so they continue to receive the access to affordable care they paid for their entire lives."

We'll update this post if any additional information comes in.

UPDATE: Statement from Angela Pause-Smith, communications director, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc.: "Neither candidate responded to our questionnaire so there actually isn't a Voter Guide for this race. I'm sorry if someone told you that there was one."

UPDATE II: As soon as I posted the update above, Pause-Smith emailed the following: "So I learned literally a moment ago that late this afternoon Hochul returned our questionnaire. There is a process we need to follow to post it on our Web site and we've asked for that process to be expedited so you can see the responses, but I can't provide a time that they will be available."

UPDATE III: Pause-Smith clarifies: "It may not have been late this afternoon that she returned it, I just learned of it late this afternoon. We received it sometime today."

UPDATE IV: Hochul's answers are now available, click here.

Photo: Julie Kumiega, Hillary Clarke and Karen Hall.