RELAY RAISES THOUSANDS FOR CANCER RESEARCH.

Byline: Amy Raisin Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Between laps around the College of the Canyons field Saturday for a cancer fund-raiser, Sue Stone said it was more devastating learning that her cancer had returned than when she was first diagnosed.

``The first time you just approach it and get through it,'' said Stone, a breast cancer survivor from Canyon Country. ``The second time, it really hits you deep. You thought you've fought the battle and here it is back again.''

Stone's story was just one of hundreds that were shared Saturday at the Santa Clarita Valley 2002 Relay For Life, a 24-hour event sponsored by the American Cancer Society that has raised about $500,000 since it debuted in 1999.

Relay For Life began in 1985 in Tacoma, Wash., and today boasts events in more than 3,000 communities and seven countries.

Participants - cancer survivors, friends and families show up with tents, sunscreen and an urge to walk - spend the day playing games, sharing stories and munching on picnic food.

Stone was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 when she was 44. Friends and doctors warned her that she would likely lose her hair from the repeated rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, but she said she didn't think think it would be that bad.

She was in for a surprise.

``I just figured it wouldn't be that big a deal,'' she said. ``I remember I was looking in the mirror and brushing my hair. It just kept coming out. I'd remove it from the brush, and then it would be there again after each brush.

``It was just devastating, much harder than I thought it would be.''

After joining a local breast cancer survivors group called Bosom Buddies, Stone said she's learned that hair loss can very difficult for many of the women.

Stone's live-in partner, Ken Kawaguchi, helped her through the difficult times, but he was hit by the disease again when his own father and sister were diagnosed with cancer.

His sister Jean Kawaguchi, 48, raised $3,000 for this year's Relay For Life and walked out on the track with the rest of the participants. She wore a picture of their 84-year-old father, Kazuo, who, still recovering from a stroke after cancer surgery, could not make it.

``It really touches everybody's lives,'' said Jean Kawaguchi, a special education teacher in South Gate. ``My colleagues were very, very generous (with donations). At my school alone, four of us were diagnosed with cancer within a few years.''

Stone helped coordinate parts of the event, was busy keeping volunteers at work and, as always, was keeping herself very much involved.

``Last year Bosom Buddies had 18 people and raised over $14,000,'' she said. ``We have 30 people this year and are already at $20,000. This is a great event. We're all in this together.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Sue Stone walked with others Saturday at the Santa Clarita Valley 2002 Relay For Life, a fund-raising event at College of the Canyons.

(2) In addition to walking, Relay for Life participants played games and shared stories and food.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer