There

are people we encounter as we go through life who

make our day a little brighter.

Lori

Petty is one who evokes a smile and seems to

bring a little sunshine into a room when she

enters.

Petty's

cheerful attitude is surprising to some when they

discover her recent life story. In January 1997,

the mother of three discovered that her youngest

son, Clint, had a brain tumor. Surgery to remove

the tumor was successful, although Clint lost the

sight in one eye.

Two

years ago, Petty was diagnosed with cancer and

had one of her kidneys removed. Her middle son,

Josh, has Tourette syndrome. In 1999 her mother

was diagnosed with lung cancer. Also last year,

her father had six heart bypasses.

However,

when Petty talks about what some would consider

overwhelming problems, the focus is on her

friends, how good they have been to her, how

lucky she was to catch her cancer when she did,

and she talks about the future.

In

the immediate future, Petty is spearheading the

involvement of her company, Gold's Gyms of

Fayette County, in the upcoming American Cancer

Society Relay for Life, a fund-raiser for the

society.

Co-worker

Linda Famularo, fitness director for the gym,

says of Petty, "I think the world of her.

She is a remarkable person, she is extremely

friendly and always has a smile for you. Most

would never know that she had gone through so

much."

Sales

manager Selina Gaspard said, "Lori is a very

generous, loving person. She's a good

friend."

Petty

discovered her cancer accidentally. She had been

dieting and had lost close to 50 pounds. She

said, "I had back aches and was not feeling

good, but I just thought it was a combination of

the dieting and another fairly minor physical

problem I was having."

She

was undergoing medical testing for her other

problem when a tumor was discovered. She said,

"I wasn't expecting anything. I went to the

clinic alone. I remember driving home wondering

how I was going to tell my children."

Petty

feels she was very lucky. She said, "If I

had waited one more month it would have been too

late."

She

has a lot of support from her husband, Mark,

friends, neighbors and what she calls her

"Gold's Gym family." When she was

diagnosed with cancer, she said, "within 15

minutes of making a call to tell someone at the

gym that I had cancer, five people were knocking

on my door. Each of the staff members and Varner

Holmes, co-owner of the gym, independently chose

to come be there for me."

After

her operation, gym members brought meals to her

house for 60 straight days. She received over 200

cards from gym members and staff "that I

still have," she noted.

"When

you think your friends can't get any nicer, they

get nicer," she continued.

Recently

the family had another scare. Petty's sister had

a tumor that they initially thought might be

cancerous. Fortunately, the tumor was benign,

although it was very large.

Petty,

who is the operations manager at Gold's Gym, has

been brainstorming with others to come up with

unique ways to raise money for the Relay for

Life. She also is serving as the firm's

"cheerleader" in rousing members and

staff to sign up to participate in the overnight

event.

Petty's

personal encounters with cancer are spurring her

desire to work hard in raising money for the

Cancer Society. She seems to be churning with

ideas to support the group through the Relay for

Life.

The

Relay for Life will run from 8 p.m. Friday, May

12 until noon Saturday, May 13. Teams camp out,

eat together and have fun while at least one

member of each team walks on the track throughout

the all-night event.

The

fund-raiser will be at Sandy Creek High School in

Tyrone.

The

opening lap of the relay is reserved for cancer

survivors. After the first lap, other team

members join in taking their turns around the

track.

Participants

are treated to music and entertainment throughout

the event. Prizes are given away and numerous fun

contests are conducted. Saturday morning, Gold's

Gym will get things moving with a work-out

session designed for "every fitness

level," says Petty. Petty and owner J.D.

Holmes will be giving away memberships, tee

shirts, free classes and other gifts as part of

the relay.

Holmes

noted, "Cancer has touched just about

everyone in some way - whether it's

personally, like Lori, a close family member or

friend. We will do everything we can to help in

the fight against this disease."

Team

members are asked to raise a minimum of $100

each, with an overall team goal of $2,500 to

$3,000. According to Norma Johnson, relay

coordinator, "Our goal is to raise $65,000

from the relay. We currently have 22 teams and

expect to sign up a few more during the next

week."

Local

sponsors are supporting the relay. MCI, Powertel,

Gold's Gym and others are currently sponsoring

the upcoming event. Many other local businesses

provide gifts, prizes, entertainment, food and

other items.

Friday

at 10 p.m. there is a "luminary

ceremony." Luminaries are purchased for $10

each, or three for $25, in honor of someone who

survived cancer, or in memory of someone who did

not. Luminaries are lighted candles inside a

weighted bag. As the luminaries are lighted, the

names on the bags are read.

For

information regarding the Relay for Life, phone

Norma Johnson at 770-969-9073 or 770-460-8920.

Donations may be mailed to: American Cancer

Society, Relay for Life, Attn: Norma Johnson,

Chairman, P.O. Box 965, Fairburn, Ga. 30213.

<!--

-----------