On Saturday evening, “Hikers of Hope” and more than two dozen other teams walked countless laps over seven hours at Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village.  

“Hikers of Hope” team leader and breast cancer survivor Linda Helldorfer of Maspeth said the American Cancer Society's “Relay For Life” event is so important to her that she, never in its 20 year history in Queens, has she missed it. 

“It’s just such a privilege to still be here,” said Helldorfer, “fighting this cause, meeting all these people who are going thru cancer. It’s just a tremendous support group.”

Yet while Helldorfer herself is a survivor of stage 0 breast cancer, due to early detection, she admits meeting fellow survivors and raising awareness about early detection provides some level of comfort as she continues to mourn the loss of her husband Bernie died of stage 4 cancer in 2016.

“I often think if we both had stage 2, maybe we both would have made it,” she says.

“Hikers of Hope” teammate Patty Mendolia of Maspeth has been supporting the event for many years due to her 40 year friendship with Helldorfer. 

“If you look at all the bags here, some people are survivors. Most of them aren’t,” said Mendolia. “So we have to memorialize the people that are not with us today. This is a great way to do it. It’s a great way to bring the whole community together.” 

Mendolia tells NY1 coming to this fundraiser for many years has driven home the point that early detection can save lives. 

She says this past January, early detection saved her life from environmental lung cancer, which she has since beaten.

“I was having a cough and a lot of my family members said you need to go to the doctor because this cough is persistent,” said Mendolia. “I did. They did a scan, and they saw a tumor [on] my windpipe. And I had to go get a biopsy. It was malignant and then it has to come out.”

Organizers say early estimate show that this year’s "Relay For Life" fundraiser raised more than $80,000 from about 500 participants.