Cancer Survivor Leads Relay for Life Team

When Dr. Phillips resident Cynthia Cardenas Schweitzer was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago she thought her life was over. A new mother, who realized that she might not see her daughter grow up; she faced her fear by fighting the disease. Now a cancer survivor, Cardenas Schweitzer gives a great deal of her time to help others.

Cardenas Schweitzer says about her ordeal, “When I was diagnosed with cancer I was 38. My cancer was caught early, and I’m a survivor, but I want to do something so my kids don’t have to go through the same experience.”

Cardenas Schweitzer has two children at Palm Lake Elementary and is the captain for their Relay for Life Team. This year the Dr. Phillips Relay for Life takes place on April 14 and 15 on the grounds of Chain of Lakes Middle School (Conroy Windermere Road near Apopka-Vineland Boulevard). The event starts at 2:00 PM on April 14 and runs until 8:00 AM on the 15th. At Relay, teams camp out overnight and take turns walking or running around a track. There are food and other goods to purchase, entertainment, and events throughout the day. The events raise both money for and awareness of the fight against cancer. The Relay is an overnight event to dramatize the fact that cancer never sleeps.

Relay for Life captain is a year round volunteer job. The Relay for Life captains start in the fall, going to meetings, speaking to groups, and recruiting team members. The 2012 team includes students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Last year the Palm Lake Team raised over $12,000. With less than two weeks to go before the event they’ve already raised $5,000 through pledges, garage sales and other events, and hope to surpass last year’s figure. People can help by attending the relay and purchasing goods for sale, joining a team, or donating directly to a team. Anyone interested in donating can contact Palm Lake Elementary.

Maureen Michas, the team co-captain, admires Cardenas Schweitzer’s energy and passion. “Cynthia is a great influence on all of us,” Michas said. “Cynthia helped organize a contest for the students to raise their awareness of the fight against cancer.” The contest encouraged students to use their imagination to describe a world without cancer, using art, poetry, stories and other media. Cardenas Schweitzer says, “This is was a creative way to educate students about cancer and get them involved.”

Cardenas Schweitzer’s volunteer work for the school isn’t limited to Relay For life. She is President of the PTA and encourages volunteerism in both parents and students. Palm Lake parent Karen Wolman says “It’s amazing the number of parents that Cynthia gets to volunteer. She always has a positive attitude, and the time and energy she devotes shows her passion.”

Cardenas Schweitzer and Palm Lake counselor Linda Martin created Palm Lake Kids Who Care, a volunteer group of 180 students that give back to the school and community through a variety of projects, including clothing drives, visits to homeless shelters and nursing homes. While everyone this reporter interviewed praised her passion and commitment, Cardenas Schweitzer always praised her collaborators first, like her co-captain Michas. Ms. Martin summed up Cardenas’ contribution to the life of Palm Lake by saying, “We couldn’t do this without her.”