Relay Info
The Green County Relay for Life begins at 6 p.m. Friday at Monroe High School. A cancer survivors walk takes place at 6:30 p.m. A luminary ceremony takes place at 9 p.m.
Luminaries are still available for purchase. They cost $5 and can be purchased at the high school.
MONROE - Connie Mueller was frightened the day she learned she had cancer.
She was at Monroe Clinic and her doctor gave her the news.
"I was scared," she said.
When Mueller received the news about her illness almost six years ago she knew other people who had cancer and had survived. Her sister, Leona Trost, was a cancer survivor.
But Mueller said hearing the doctor tell her she had cancer made her feel helpless. Mueller went to the doctor alone that day, she recalled. That made it even more frightening for Mueller. Her husband, Gus, went to subsequent doctor visits to provide support.
Mueller received support from family and friends, she said. She soon learned she wouldn't go through the illness alone.
"That's what gets you through," Mueller said.
She learned there were many other people who had family and friends who were facing the same thing. Mueller learned about people who survived the disease.
And Mueller began to see that she, too, could make it through cancer.
After three months of chemotherapy she was finally free of the disease.
The first year after she was cured she took part in the Green County Relay for Life walk.
"It was emotional," she said. "I never thought I'd be on the other side of it - a survivor of cancer," she said.
Mueller received help from the American Cancer Society to help learn more about cancer and to talk with other survivors.
"They gave me a laptop to use so I could e-mail people who had cancer and so I could learn more about cancer," she said.
Mueller realized she wanted to give back to the people who helped her while she was sick.
She joined the Green County Relay for Life committee and this year was selected to be an "Honorary Chairperson."
"I saw it was a worthwhile event," Mueller said of the organization.
Being a cancer survivor also made her appreciate life.
"You appreciate the little things more," Mueller said. "You make every day count."
She was at Monroe Clinic and her doctor gave her the news.
"I was scared," she said.
When Mueller received the news about her illness almost six years ago she knew other people who had cancer and had survived. Her sister, Leona Trost, was a cancer survivor.
But Mueller said hearing the doctor tell her she had cancer made her feel helpless. Mueller went to the doctor alone that day, she recalled. That made it even more frightening for Mueller. Her husband, Gus, went to subsequent doctor visits to provide support.
Mueller received support from family and friends, she said. She soon learned she wouldn't go through the illness alone.
"That's what gets you through," Mueller said.
She learned there were many other people who had family and friends who were facing the same thing. Mueller learned about people who survived the disease.
And Mueller began to see that she, too, could make it through cancer.
After three months of chemotherapy she was finally free of the disease.
The first year after she was cured she took part in the Green County Relay for Life walk.
"It was emotional," she said. "I never thought I'd be on the other side of it - a survivor of cancer," she said.
Mueller received help from the American Cancer Society to help learn more about cancer and to talk with other survivors.
"They gave me a laptop to use so I could e-mail people who had cancer and so I could learn more about cancer," she said.
Mueller realized she wanted to give back to the people who helped her while she was sick.
She joined the Green County Relay for Life committee and this year was selected to be an "Honorary Chairperson."
"I saw it was a worthwhile event," Mueller said of the organization.
Being a cancer survivor also made her appreciate life.
"You appreciate the little things more," Mueller said. "You make every day count."