-Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Peter Kaspari Angela Olerich, of Webster City, holds the hand of her daughter, Emma Olerich, 2, during the Relay for Life of Hamilton County survivor lap.

STANHOPE — The chance of rain and storms didn’t prevent those who have been affected by cancer from gathering in the Stanhope City Park Wednesday evening for the 21st annual Relay for Life of Hamilton County.

Cancer survivors, their loved ones, those who are fighting cancer, those who have lost people to cancer and caregivers were all part of the annual event, walking and raising money for cancer research.

Suzie Moore, a member of the planning team, spoke of the reason why everyone was there.

“You are all here for the same reason,” Moore said. “To finish the fight against cancer.”

But it wasn’t just in Stanhope that people were gathering; it was in towns and cities across the country.

“They remember those lives that have been lost,” she said. “They remember those and give honor to those that have fought the fight and have victory, and for all of us who are committed to this disease being ending once and for all.”

The honorary survivor of this year’s relay was Wayne Romp, of Stanhope.

Romp was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2015, and went through two rounds of chemotherapy to treat it.

He finished treatment in late 2017.

Romp said he used to be a smoker.

“Back in the 1950s, all the advertising seemed to be for the tobacco companies,” he said, adding that today it seems most advertisements he sees are for all the medical companies.

He called his diagnosis “upsetting,” but said he feels lucky that he never got sick.

His doctor gave him two prescriptions of anti-nausea medicine, which Romp said made him nervous.

“What am I getting into here?” he asked.

But he never had to take the pills because he never once experienced nausea while undergoing treatment.

“I never had to take the cap off of either bottle,” he said. “I’m very thankful for that.”

He said that may have been because they caught his cancer early and were able to start treatment quickly.

Romp still gets monitored for cancer and said he doesn’t know how long he’ll have to do that for.

After his speech, Romp and his wife, Mabelle, led the survivors walk around the city park.

Moore said it doesn’t matter how or why the participants chose to take part in Relay for Life.

“One thing is clear,” she said. “With every step you take, you help the American Cancer Society save lives. Each person who shares the Relay experience can take pride in knowing you are working to create a world where this disease will no longer threaten the lives of any of our loved ones, or claim one more year from anyone’s life.”