THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9606020073
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 99 lines
The flickering light of white-bagged candles pulsed like so many hopeful hearts, and a full moon beamed down as hundreds of cancer survivors triumphantly strode the first lap of a 24-hour benefit relay walk-a-thon.
The names of many who had lost their battles were inscribed on the luminous sacks, which lined the track at Great Neck Middle School.
But it was the larger war against cancer that brought out more than 3,000 people and raised $359,000 in the fight against cancer. About 170 groups of 15 members each set up tents on the field and tag-teamed their day- and night-long loops. They strolled, ran, walked and wheelchaired the track.
Last year the event raised $246,000, which was the third highest among all society chapters taking part in the national event. Organizers hope this year's results will propel them to first place.
Among the walkers was Kas Lippa, who had determined to walk 22 hours nonstop to do her part for the American Cancer Society's struggle against the disease that claimed the life of her 22-year-old sister-in-law.
``Walking is really harder than running,'' said the 50-year-old grandmother as she began the laps at about 7:45 p.m. Friday.
``It's about 165 laps in all,'' said her son-in-law, Mark Cutshall, 31, consulting his wrist calculator. He hoped to accompany Lippa the entire time. ``I'm going to see how long I can go.''
Two teens swooshed past on roller blades. The aroma from outdoor cookers filled the air.
A woman with a large dream catcher in her hands circled a teepee tent. ``I can't seem to find a place to hang it,'' she said to herself.
``There are a lot of walking miracles here tonight,'' said Sylvia Allen of Virginia Beach, who was walking with her friend, Martha Lynch, 63, a four-year survivor of breast cancer.
``She's a very important person to me,'' Allen said.
Bob Flynn, 67, of Lynn, Mass., was also circling the track.
``I came because cancer got my wife three years ago,'' Flynn said. ``My legs can only go so far.''
Denise Parker, 42, of Virginia Beach, paused and squatted to take a snapshot of the white bag memorializing her grandmother, who she lost to cancer at age 91. Her other grandmother was diagnosed with cancer last year at the age of 83.
Parker said that she and sons Geoffrey, 6, and Christopher, 4, would walk for about three hours.
8:45 p.m. Lippa has taken a 10-minute stretch break. She's not tired yet. ``This is the easy part,'' she says, giving her son-in-law a few pointers on how to stretch his leg muscles.
Two girls walk by carrying blue helium balloons, their lips blue, too, from the blue cotton candy they're eating. Another girl with cat whiskers painted on her face follows a few steps behind, and Lippa and Cutshall move back out onto the track.
2:10 a.m. It is still next to impossible to find a parking spot near the school, and there are as many people walking into the track area as there are walking out.
It is chill and damp, and many participants have donned ski caps and jackets. The collective pace has slowed perceptively, but the little bagged lights still seem to beat in time to the feet tramping past.
Two men zip past in a crouched speed walk, then comes Lippa, a bit more slowly now.
``I'm doing surprisingly well,'' she says.
Cutshall says, ``We've done 52.5 laps.''
At Cancervive '96, base for The Atlantic Group of Norfolk's relay team, about 10 members are stretched out on cots around a portable fireplace.
``We're getting punchy,'' says Mel Miller, team captain. ``But I'm not going to sleep.''
The Atlantic Group team used some inventive strategies to collect the $15,000 they put in the pot to help in the fight against cancer. They not only held raffles, but also charged for ``hugs and kisses'' and dance cards listings with the three cancer survivors on their team.
9:28 a.m. Cutshall is played out in a lounge chair.
``I stopped at 9:26,'' he says breathlessly. ``I wasn't prepared for this. My legs and feet are hurting really bad. I'm just burned, but she's doing great, she really is.''
She really is, despite going for 14 hours straight now.
``I just love walking with the people,'' says Lippa, whose stride has slowed to a casual walk that hints of a limp. ``I like being up when it's night, so I hated to see the sun come up.''
It's 10:30 now, and Lippa's in pain, though her spirit is still intact.
She goes into a jazzy dance as she passes the music blaring from a loudspeaker.
``People think I'm playing around, but when I'm dancing, I'm loosening up my hips,'' she says.
``My hips are hurting a little, and my feet are starting to burn, but I'm trying not to quit.''
Lippa's husband, Val, runs up behind her, grabs her shoulders and cheers her on.
``You can do it!'' he says.
``This morning, when the sun was coming up, he brought me bagels,'' says Lippa.
In the bright light of day, Lippa remembers her sister-in-law.
``It was 13 years ago when Claire died. She wasn't even old enough to decide what she was going to do with her life.''
At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Lippa makes it, tired but in good spirits. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
CANDICE C. CUSIC/The Virginian-Pilot
Kas Lippa responds to cheers from the crowd during her walk to raise
money for cancer research at the benefit walk-a-thon. by CNB