When Roy Tuua first walked a track in support of Relay for Life, he did it hoping to prevent anyone else from experiencing the pain and devastation cancer can bring a family.
Now 12 years later, as the chairman of this year's Cole County Relay for Life, Tuua said he has another reason.
"I relay so my daughter doesn't have to go through having cancer or her mother or I having cancer," Tuua said. "We do not have cancer in our family, but I never want her to go through the heartbreak that I have seen friends go through when they had a family member with cancer."
Since 2000, when he began as a volunteer and then joined relay committees, his involvement with the group has only grown. He has worked in a variety of capacities with Cole County Relay for Life, including committee work, entertainment chairman, then tri-chair, co-chair last year and chairman this year.
"Ideally by the time you are chair you have the experience under your belt to help lead the event, with the help of your co-chair and tri-chair," he said, laughing as he often does.