ANDERSON, S.C. (WSPA) – The memorial flight honors those who lost their lives to cancer and for those who are still battling.
The Cancer Association of Anderson has been around for 20 years and is the only local cancer charity in Anderson.
The Rising Above Cancer program started six years ago and has raised thousands of dollars ever since.
According to the Cancer Association of Anderson Executive Director and Hot Air Affair Director, Angela Stringer, the event is funded by sponsors and donations from the public which will be used to help with treatment costs for patients.
“We bring our patients out and let them be around balloons and the ballooning community who just embrace them and they get something that’s special out of it. A lot of them do get to fly,” said Stringer.
Stringer has personally been affected by cancer and strives to continue to make a difference with her story.
“When I was battling cancer one morning particularly bad morning after I’ve had chemo I laid my head over the window and looked out and I saw one of our pilots who was local in the sky and I just feel like God said to me you know you got to rise above this like that balloon and it always stuck with me “Rising Above Cancer,” said Stringer.
Balloon Meister, Roger Clark, said the planning committee has already started thinking about ways to improve for next year to make an even bigger impact than this year.
Clark has also flown hot air balloons for 43 years. He describes what it’s like being in the air looking out over the city.
“I love it, it’s the most serene peaceful feeling I could think of and for me, it’s relaxing. It’s just quiet. You’re floating and because you’re moving at the same speed of the air there’s no relative wind so you don’t have a breeze in your face. It’s not noisy with an engine and it’s just very peaceful like floating on clouds.”
If you would like to learn more about the Cancer Association of Anderson or to donate, click here.
