LAYTON -- As someone who knows from experience the trials that come with cancer, local cancer-battler Juli Housholder will now be acting as chair of a team that will sponsor the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Layton July 13-14. Housholder's battle started as a young girl when she was afflicted with the rare autoimmune disease alopecia areata, a disease that caused her hair to fall out in clumps. Out of support, Housholder's twin brother and other family members even shaved their own heads so that she would not feel alone with the disease.

Unfortunately, just last year Housholder was then diagnosed with a very serious form of uterine cancer and has suffered more than any 24-year-old should have to endure.

"On September 20, 2006, I was diagnosed with stage II endometrial uterine cancer at the young age of 23," Housholder said. "I am currently undergoing chemotherapy treat-ments but am proud to call myself a survivor because I am still here and still fighting."

Because she had devoted much of her teenage and adult life to service for others, Housholder is now giving back again by participating in the Relay for Life. Now, family and friends have shaved their heads once again.

"Together with family and friends I have decided to form a team for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Layton July13-14, and together we will walk for a cure, we will walk for hope and we will walk because we believe," Housholder said. "Our team name is 'Peach Fuzz,' and as a team we have set a goal of raising $3,000 for cancer research. We are ambitious and determined, but we know we can't reach it alone."

Housholder and Peach Fuzz have now raised more than half their quota. Others can contribute by donating items for the bake sale, yard sale, silent auction and carnival June 2 at Davis High School, or making a cash or check donation to the American Cancer Society by contacting Housholder at 336-6342 or by visiting www.ascsevents.org/relay/ut/layton/julibugs13 or www.acsevents.org/relay/

ut/layton/peachfuzz.

"Peach Fuzz is made up of everyday people, each affected by cancer in a different, unique and original way, but as different as each of our stories may be, we come together, we fight and we laugh and cry together," Housholder said. "Peach Fuzz has hope and believes we can walk for a cure!"

Housholder said that although there are more than 1.3 million new cancer cases expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year, there is hope and everyone can do something to save lives and help those people already fighting the disease.

"Relay for Life is an overnight event that brings our community together to help support the American Cancer Society and its lifesaving mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem," she said. "The Society works hard everyday day to prevent cancer and save lives by supporting groundbreaking research, affecting public policies that protect us from cancer and educating people on how to prevent or detect cancer early. The Society helps people with cancer right here in our own community, and our efforts at Relay for Life can help the American Cancer Society to keep working toward a cancer-free future."

To help her fight and survive her own battle with cancer, a charitable account has also been set up at America First Credit Union in the name of Juliann Housholder, and one can donate at any branch simply by mentioning her name. One can also send donations to Janet Williams at 296 E. 1650 South, Bountiful, UT 84010.

Those who would like to contact the family can call Juli Housholder at 336-6342. If she cannot be reached at the time, call Janet Williams at 295-6621 to learn where and when she may be reached.

More about Housholder's life story can also be found at www.ourstory.com/julibugs13.



dradunich@davisclipper.com