The 2018 Relay For Life of Warren County will be from 4-11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at Black Hawk Middle School, 302 Kuhl Ave., Warrenton.Early setup and registration begins at 3 p.m.This year’s Hero of Hope speaker is Stacey Saak of Jonesburg, who is in her fourth battle with cancer and whose cheerful spirit and kindness is an inspiration to others.“Generally, I’m pretty optimistic. I think, when you have cancer, it becomes more apparent that you have to be grateful for every single day. You can’t let your fear of tomorrow rob you of your joy today,” Saak said. “You have to live for today. Enjoy the little things in life, make eye contact, don’t rush the day away — I really try to focus on not doing that.”At the start of the new millennium, Saak was treated for renal cancer. She was 31 and a new mother. Three years later she had surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor. A decade later a tumor in her abdomen was removed. That was in 2015.Earlier this month she found out the cancer returned.“The same cancer, renal cell, but it is now in my pancreas,” Saak said.She is taking medications and will meet with a radiologist a couple of days before the Relay For Life event.Saak draws comfort from family and friends. The Elks Lodge in Warrenton held the Stacey Saak Poker Run and Bike Show Aug. 4 to raise money for Relay For Life of Warren County and the American Cancer Society. Saak said she was honored that they used her name to raise money for the cause.Another source of strength comes from “the Inspirations,” a support group for people whose lives have been changed by cancer. The group meets the third Tuesday of each month at Fellowship Baptist Church, 1015 State Highway 47 in Warrenton. The founders are Al Briggs and Jean Briggs.“The Inspirations group has been a blessing to me. I’ve been a member since 2001. I leave the meetings feeling as if I can win it,” Saak said.Saak is starting work on her speech for Relay For Life. She will appear during opening ceremonies, which start at 6 p.m. She said she wants to talk about overcoming obstacles. She mentions how so many things were thought to be impossible until someone made them possible.“When I was diagnosed with cancer, I had all these thoughts of dying and recurrence,” she said. But then she joined the support group and saw survivors. “When you see (what’s possible), you realize, what can be done,” she said.Saak did not intend to be a voice for cancer survivors, but if she can help, she is willing.“If I can provide an inspiration to anybody, I hope that I can do that,” she said.Relay For Life will have food, games, entertainment and ceremonies to honor and celebrate those touched by cancer. Simply A Princess characters will be there as well as Warrenton High School a cappella groups, Bubble Bus and more. Teams will have food sales and raffles.To register as an individual or team, visit www.relayforlife.org/warrencomo or American Cancer Society staff partner, Kate Bohn, at kate.bohn@cancer.org or 314-286-8186 for more options.To donate, visit www.relayforlife.org/warrencomo and click the “Donate” tab, attend the event or send donations to the American Cancer Society office: American Cancer Society, c/o Warren County, 4207 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108.

Stacey Saak, pictured at front left, accepts a $13,660 donation to Relay For Life of Warren County from the Warrenton Elks Lodge. Saak is this year's Relay For Life Hero of Hope speaker. With her in the front row are DeAnn Byrum with the Elks Lodge and Kate Bohn with the American Cancer Society. In the back row, from left, are Butch Hunter, Carol Paul, Flo Paulo, Peggy Cook and Pattie Boyle, all Elks Lodge members.

Record photo/Kate Miller