Jim Larko was an active participant in the Highlands Relay for Life for 17 years.

The event, the Natrona Heights resident said, served as a remembrance for all the people he’s lost to cancer.

“My wife and I first got involved with the Relay when a close friend of ours was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Larko said. “Since then, I’ve lost my parents and father-in-law to cancer.”

Highlands’ Relay For Life ended in 2019 — a pattern repeated across the Alle-Kiski Valley. The Riverview Relay for Life, held in Oakmont for the past 25 years, had its last one May 31.

Larko said the relay’s participation “was going down a little bit before covid, but, once covid hit, it just knocked right down.”

Larko’s experience is one of many as there has been a noticeable decrease in the American Cancer Society-­sanctioned relays across Southwestern Pennsylvania and the nation.

In the region, the remaining Relays for Life are held in Mt. Lebanon, Cranberry, Uniontown, Beaver and Coraopolis.

Though he didn’t have specific numbers, Dan Tobin, director of Regional Integrated Marketing for the American Cancer Society, agreed that races have dwindled, but not because of any national trend. He said it’s simply because “things are cyclical.”

He said many communities are “adapting to the times” and responding to the needs of participants. In some areas, relays have gone from 24-hour events to shorter six- or four-hour ones, which Tobin said is because “in today’s day and age, people don’t want to do that (24-hour relay) anymore.”

According to Tobin, community leaders often will merge smaller races together or disband them and change their means of fundraising.

This was the case for the Highlands and Apollo-Ridge events.

While both events no longer exist on their own, Ricki Evans, event coordinator for the The Relay For Life of Armstrong County, said her Ford City-hosted relay gained teams from the now defunct races.

The Ford City event is the last Relay for Life in the Alle-­Kiski Valley. It was held June 21 at Ford City Memorial Park.

One of those teams was Larko’s.

His team decided to join the Armstrong County relay post-covid to continue showing support for the community and cancer research.

Since the shift, Evans stated, they’ve “had influxes and decreases over the years” in attendance, “but it’s the drive that keeps us going.”

LuAnn Frerotte aims to participate in any way she can.

Frerotte of Kittanning has been involved with the Armstrong County race since 2012. Frerotte said she and her family began participating after Frerotte lost her sister to breast cancer.

“I’ve stayed involved, getting into other things and helping other teams,” she said. “… You just do what you need to do.”

She spoke about the importance of the event, stating that a participant on her team lost their son to cancer two years ago. Since then, Frerotte’s nephew was diagnosed with cancer and survived.

“In just a matter of years, the new products — the new medicines — can help cure people. That’s why I do it.”

Though many races have ceased, the fundraising has not.

Highlands continues to raise money for cancer research. Earlier this month, they hosted a benefit golf outing. Larko said events like that have them making the same, if not more, money than they did having the race.

Armstrong County, in addition to their relay, has a raffle throughout the month of July.

Frerotte said that everyday in July, a live drawing will be posted on the group’s Facebook page. People can enter to win prizes donated by local businesses.

“People call and say: ‘I would like to sponsor a day of your raffle in honor of my loved one who passed away or is fighting cancer,’ or whatever the situation may be. That brings in more revenue that we raise for the (American) Cancer Society.”

Though financial donations are appreciated, Frerotte said help can go deeper than that.

“Maybe it isn’t all monetary,” she said. “There are things you can do. Maybe somebody needs a ride to the cancer treatment, or sometimes they just need someone to talk to.”

Frerotte said she hopes people understand the importance of taking care of themselves and getting screened when necessary.

“There’s always hope,” she said. “You never give up.”

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