Hyde County’s 2011 Relay for Life campaign kicked off Thursday with a rally for volunteers and participants at Swan Quarter Church of Christ.

The county’s 2011 Relay for Life campaign culminates Sept. 16-17 at the Engelhard recreation complex, beginning at 6 p.m. Sept. 16. Last year’s campaign raised at least $59,000 to help in the fight against cancer.

Six fundraising teams have committed to participating in this year’s campaign. Those teams are Mt. Olive Church of Christ, The Believers, Healthy Hyde, Hospice, The East Carolina Bank and Pungo Christian Academy.

Thursday’s rally featured Glenn and Tammy Blake, a cancer survivor and caregiver, respectively. They told their story about fighting cancer. They also urged others to battle cancer.

Carol West, a community manager with the American Cancer Society, discussed the Caregivers Initiative recently implemented by ACS, which provides program information to cancer patients and their families.

The 2011 campaign is seeking fundraising teams, corporate sponsors, cancer survivors and caregivers to participate in the Sept. 16-17 event.

For more information about the event, to register as a fundraising team, to sign up as a corporate sponsor or to register as a cancer survivor, call Denise Gibbs or Tina Dunbar at 252-925-9461.