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People attending the Relay for Life of Chisago County expect to have a great time, eat good food, play games, get a good deal at the silent auction, and most importantly, to support those touched by cancer.

Jeanne Taube, breast cancer survivor for nine years and one of this year's Relay honorary chairs, has attended Relay for Life and was no different from anyone else. At Relay for Life in 2008. Jeanne Taube (then Loeffler) was introduced during the opening ceremonies as "Lucky 7," a nickname she earned the year before as a seven year cancer survivor, and tossed her hat like Mary Tyler Moore. Sitting in the audience was Mike Taube. He was there to support friends who are cancer survivors and when he saw her toss the hat he thought to himself, "I've got to meet that one." He left the Relay, returned, left and returned again. Although he claims he is not sure what kept pulling him back that night, he finally saw Jeanne seated at the silent auction. He walked up to her and said, "How you doing Lucky 7?"

It turned out they lived near each other in Lindstrom. Jeanne had biked past his greenhouse often and admired his tomatoes as they grew on the roof. Taube had given up on finding a soul mate, he recalled, and spent his time gardening and was especially proud of those tomatoes.

Looking back on her cancer experience, Taube describes it as a growing experience. "I think I'm a better and stronger person now. A lot of people get bitter but my faith has grown. I learned to accept help from family and friends and tried to be as active as possible by going to work and doing the things I enjoyed. It can be easy to stay home and feel sorry for yourself." She is an advocate for cancer patients and provides support whenever asked. While she describes cancer as all consuming at first, she says she doesn't dwell on it now and just tries to live her life.

That chance meeting was the start of something big. They were married August 8, 2009 and now live in a house they built on 80 acres in Shafer. Jeanne and Mike Taube, honorary co-chairs, are an example of the good things that can happen when faced with cancer. She was diagnosed thanks to a mammogram in 2001 at the age of 48. She had a lumpectomy followed by four months of chemotherapy and then radiation for 37 days. About discovering she had cancer, she said the "hardest thing was having to tell other people because I did not want them to feel sorry for me." She didn't want to call so she drove to peoples houses to let them know. She didn't tell her two daughters for a week because they were taking finals. Jeanne said her youngest daughter was pretty upset about that but then understood.

Things happen when you least expect them to, things like cancer and meeting the love of your life. See you at the Relay for Life of Chisago County on Friday, July 23 at 6:30 for the opening ceremonies. You never know what might happen once you are there.

For information about this ceremony or any other information about the Relay for Life, contact one of the event Co-Chairs: Sue Frame (651-257-2033) susan.k.frame@gmai l.com or Barb Marek (651-213-6649) [email protected].

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