Decked out in purple shirts, signifying their success in a struggle against death, the survivors of cancer took the initial lap around the Effingham County High School track in Friday night’s Relay For Life.

It was the first survivor lap for Karen Arnold, who is a seven-month cancer survivor. Her brother David Odum is a 33-month survivor of pancreatic cancer and her nephew James Odum has had a rare form of bone cancer in remission for 11 years.

"God is wonderful," she said.

Michael King, who had been diagnosed with leukemia and underwent weeks of treatment, delivered Friday night’s keynote address to the survivors, caregivers and those who were there to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

"My name is Michael King … and I’m a cancer survivor," he said. "I’m here to celebrate with all of you. I’ll be fighting back right beside all of you for the next 364 days, until we are back together again to celebrate Relay For Life 2013."

King described his struggle of more than a month in a hospital as treatment got under way.

"I can tell you as a survivor, the 36 days I spent in the hospital after being diagnosed with leukemia was a long journey," he said. "What I would not have given for just one hour free from cancer, just one hour that I didn’t have to fight, just one hour to live a normal life. Now that I’ve beaten this disease, I wish I had more time to make a difference."