For many cancer survivors, the support of their friends, their family and their community is a crucial salve supporting their recovery.

Susan Grebber, a survivor of ovarian cancer, remembers feeling that love and support from the Wareham Relay for Life, last held in 2018.

Grebber remembers being touched by the applause from the survivor’s lap of the Relay: “My heart is so heavy, and then they have a survivor’s dinner, which is wonderful — you’re treated like royalty. 

Now, a revival of the Relay for Life starting Friday, Sept. 13, will rally the community around Wareham survivors once again.

Tricia Hackett, who is spear-heading the Relay’s revival, said she and a friend decided after five or six years of its absence that they missed the event and wanted it back. 

“We missed the camaraderie of the event,” and the way the town came together to support survivors, said Hackett. 

And so, they decided to bring it back. 

Their efforts saw an immediate response. Hackett said when she created the Facebook page for the group, over 100 people joined within 48 hours. 

“I was absolutely thrilled,” said Grebber. “I went to Tricia, and I was in tears, I said it’s amazing that you’re taking this on again and we all appreciate it.”

Grebber’s survivor story begins with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer in January 2012. 

“I was having all these symptoms, [but] I didn’t know what it was,” she said. When she tried to find out what was wrong, she initially got a misdiagnosis. 

Her gastroenterologist ultimately found she had ovarian cancer, and she went into surgery within two weeks. Since then, she hasn’t had any recurrence, but she still carries the weight of what she went through, and she has tried to raise awareness of ovarian cancer among the general public. 

“I have struggled, both physically and mentally, since all of this happened, with GI issues and other [physical] issues, and the mental health part of PTSD [and] not knowing whether I was going to survive or not,” she said. “It really takes a toll on your physical and mental health.”

The difficulties of surviving the cancer makes the support of the Relay for Life even more crucial. 

“Hopefully, maybe this is the start of it staying in Wareham and continuing for years to come,” said Grebber. 

This year’s event will start with a survivor dinner on Friday, Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. The walk will start at 5 p.m. that day, and will run until Saturday, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m. at the Wareham Middle School track. 

While it used to be a 24 hour walk, Hackett said she’s encouraging people to come and participate for as long or short as their schedule allows. 

The theme this year is “scare away cancer,” and there will be a trick-or-treat lap at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, with the public and children invited to attend in costume. 

For more information, visit relayforlife.org/warehamma. 

Everyone is invited to sign up online in advance, but especially survivors, said Hackett, to make sure there is enough food for the survivor’s dinner.