The American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life fundraising and awareness campaign shouldn’t be about children. Too often it is. But it’s also about hope and about victories won.

Six-year-old Will Tillery probably doesn’t realize the magnitude of the victory he has won over cancer. But his victory stands as a beacon of hope for others who are battling the disease and offers assurance that there will be a final victory over cancer.

Will was the youngest survivor several years ago at the 2012 Pike County Relay for Life event. At age two, he was diagnosed with a Stage 4 germ cell tumor.

Russell and Allison Tillery had, only two weeks earlier, welcomed home their second son.

“We didn’t know what were facing,” Russell Tillery said. “Will had a tumor behind his liver and in front of his spine. It had wrapped around his spinal cord.”

That was four years ago, Friday night at the 2016 Pike County Relay for Life event, Will Tillery was running and playing in the infield. He is cancer free.

“That’s why we Relay,” his parents said.

Will took chemotherapy treatments every two weeks for six months.

“He took three times the amount of chemo that an adult could take,” his dad said. “Children can tolerate that. The cancer shrunk and pulled away from the spinal cord, fell way from the spinal cord and was absorbed by Will’s body. The cancer will not come back. It’s gone.”

That’s is just one reason why Pike County continues to Relay. That’s also why people continue to give. Organizers said the 2016 Relay for Life effort raised $124,199.40.

And, that’s why even the families of those who lost their battles with cancer continue in the fight. That’s why Eulane Jones Relays.

Jones lost her husband, Hank Jones, to cancer Nov. 20, 2015. He had fought the battle valiantly, of and on, for 15 years. But Hank Jones was in the fight long before he was diagnosed with cancer.

“Hank was among the first supporters of the Relay for Life campaign,” Jones said. “He always believed that the battle against cancer could be won and he was always out here doing what he could. Hank looked forward to Relay for Life each year and he would be so pleased to see all of the support out here tonight.”

Being at Relay was emotional for Eulane Jones. The Luminary Service would be especially so.

“But, someone said that Hank and Betty Wagoner are up there looking down on what we are doing and they are happy and pleased,” she said.