American Cancer Society
Margaret Klingmeyer, who participates in the Watertown Newton Waltham Relay for Life, detected cancer early.
Margaret Klingmeyer began participating in the Relay For Life in honor of her sister, but the annual event that raises money for the American Cancer Society helped her in her own fight with the disease.
Klingmeyer, 70, a semi-retired CPA who lives in Wellesley, is no stranger to fighting back against cancer. She began fundraising for the American Cancer Society in 2008, the year her sister lost her life after a battle with lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. That year, she joined Relay For Life of New Bedford, where she was born and where she sister lived.
The following year, she started Team Hiker Chris with the Relay For Life of Watertown-Newton-Waltham event, in Watertown, the town where she cares for her grandchildren and often visits her daughter. More recently, she has volunteered on the Event Leadership Team, focused on honoring cancer survivors at the event.
Leading a busy life, she had put of some of her own health check-ups this past summer, but after hearing a speech at the American Cancer Society New England Relay For Life Expo in November, she got a mammogram. The results confirmed cancer – a small malignant cancerous tumor in her right breast. She soon started treatment and today, while having to adjust for rest periods during the day, she is nearly out of the woods herself.
“Although I am now a survivor, my sister will continue to be the focus of my Relay work,” said Klingmeyer “ However, my experience this year increased my determination to raise funds for cancer research and to encourage everyone to get all tests available for early detection of any cancer.”
This year, the Watertown Newton Waltham Relay Fore Life will take place at Victory Field from 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 11 t0 6 a.m. on Sunday, June 12. Find out more, donate or see how you can join in at www.relayforlife.org/wnwma.