300 Walk 16 Hours Straight in Vermont Cancer Relay

Three hundred people laced up their shoes Saturday in Rutland, Vermont for a walk that wouldn't stop until Sunday morning. For 16 straight hours, they kept moving, keeping at least one person on the track every single minute to honor those fighting cancer.

The 37th annual Rutland Relay for Life brought together 75 teams with a simple but powerful commitment. Rain or shine, hot or cold, someone would always be walking because cancer doesn't take breaks either.

"We say cancer never sleeps, cancer doesn't stop because it's raining or bad weather, and so for one day we come together no matter what's going on," said Nicole Jorgensen with the American Cancer Society. The dedication showed in the numbers: teams had already raised over $150,000 before the relay even began.

Gwyn Williams, a cancer survivor from Wells, walked alongside her General Electric teammates. She knows firsthand how isolating a diagnosis can feel, and she's determined to change that for others.

"If I can make it a little easier for the next person who hears 'you have cancer,' it's important," Williams said. Her presence on that track wasn't just about raising money. It was about showing newly diagnosed patients they won't walk this journey alone.

Ken Shattuck has been walking for 23 years, ever since losing his father to cancer. What keeps him coming back isn't just memory, it's visible progress.

The Ripple Effect

Shattuck noticed something remarkable over his two decades of participation: more survivors are walking each year. The survivor lap that opens the relay keeps growing, a living testament that treatments are working and early detection is saving lives.

The American Cancer Society is working toward a future where cancer becomes manageable rather than devastating. "It's becoming more treatable, more livable, being caught earlier," Jorgensen explained.

The relay aims to surpass $200,000 in total fundraising, money that goes directly toward treatment support and caregiver programs. Every dollar helps researchers develop better treatments and helps patients access the care they need.

By Sunday morning at 8 a.m., when the last walker crosses the finish line, Rutland will have sent a clear message: progress is happening, one lap at a time.