One sees the requests on a regular basis — requests for donations to Relay for Life. Sadly, those requests are parts of obituaries of cancer victims in Beaufort County.

This weekend, area residents can join teams from churches, nonprofit organizations and businesses to help fight cancer, with the goal of finding a cure for the deadly diseases. That ongoing effort in Beaufort County gets the spotlight each spring with the two-day event that raises money for cancer research and awareness of just how invasive cancer is in the community, state and nation.

The highlight of Friday night’s events will be the Survivors Lap, where cancer survivors make the first transit around the track at Washington High School. Teams will turn in the money they’ve raised by various means. Other teams will continue to raise money during the night and into the next morning.

The folks in Beaufort County are committed in the fight against cancer. Every year, they buy goods from bake sales, have their cars washed (whether they need it or not) and play in golf tournaments, all with the goal of raising hundreds of dollars here and thousands of dollars there to continue the war against a killer that’s no respecter of age, gender or race.

As we’ve said before, and will continue to say again, Relay for Life does much more than just raise money. It nurtures those hopes of millions of people that cancer will be defeated. It brings a community together — those who are fighting cancer and those helping cancer victims fight their daily battles.

By raising at least $150,000 this year, the county would be underscoring its commitment to continue its role in the fight against cancer.

It’s a commitment all of us should renew and support.

Cancer survivors include people like our family members, co-workers, neighbors and teachers. They were the lucky ones. Cancer victims include our family members, co-workers, neighbors and teachers. They were the unlucky ones.

Support — monetary and otherwise — for Relay for Life will renew this area’s continued commitment to provide the resources needed to continue the research for a cure for cancer. In Beaufort County, that commitment has been there since before the first Relay for Life event was held. Relay for Life provides a vehicle to make sure that commitment continues down the road until a cure for cancer is found.

Perhaps the day will come when obituaries will no longer make requests for donations to Relay for Life. That day cannot come soon enough.