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The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday May 6, 2006 - 3 By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF "I am a survivor." That's why Gay Longo and her husband Anthony, who is president and CEO of Longo's, are honourary co-chairs of this year's Relay for Life. This is the first time in the relay's history -- it's the Canadian Cancer Society, Oakville Unit's major annual fundraiser --that there are honourary co-chairs. Anniversary milestones are plentiful though as the relay set for June 2 at Appleby College celebrates its fifth year in Oakville. Longo's is also celebrating its 50th year in business this year. And Gay is celebrating being a cancer survivor for 10 years. A decade ago Gay was diagnosed with breast cancer. She found it herself and it was scary news. Gay and Anthony, the son of one of Longo's three co-founders, Tommy Longo, had three small children -- one just entering school, a toddler and an infant. Today, Gay, Anthony and her family are very happy to say she's a survivor -- but with many other family members fighting their own battles with the disease -- from leukemia to colon, liver and stomach cancer -- the Longos have not lost sight of the importance of cancer research. It hits home every time Gay and her second cousin by marriage, Laura Indovina, 18, tackle the Survivors' Victory Lap that officially begins the 12-hour overnight event at 7 p.m. Laura is a Grade 12 student at Saint Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Secondary School. She was only 11 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. Laura's dad is Tony Indovina is the manager of the Oakville Longo's store on Dundas Street at Trafalgar Road. Indovina, his wife Cecilia and children, Laura, Michael, 21, and David, 10, make Oakville their home. "Laura having cancer was enough. It came out of the blue, unexpectedly and was a total shock," said Cecilia, a nurse by profession, who said that while that proved helpful in many ways, there were times through her daughter's ordeal that she believed "ignorance was bliss." "Laura did extremely well. We all grew so much," said Cecelia explaining her daughter underwent chemotherapy and radiation at McMaster's Children's Hospital. "I run the survivors lap at the relay and all my friends come. I'm glad to be a part of the relay because it was something that was such a big part of my life," said Laura. The young Oakville woman's ordeal, along with her family's is just one reason Gay and Anthony's interest in the Relay for Life continues. "Laura and I both walk the survivors lap together and our family stands behind us," said Gay. All in the family LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER SURVIVORS: Two members of the extended Longo family will be walking the Survivors' Victory lap at this year's Relay for Live in Oakville -- Gay longo (centre left) and laura Indovina (centre right). They are surrounded here by family members (clockwise from the bottom left) Daniel Longo, Dayna Longo, Anthony Longo (Gay's husband), Tony Indovina, Cecilia Indovina, and David Indovina. "It brings tears, of happiness and of sadness for those who aren't there to walk it. It's an emotional roller coaster," said Gay. The relay is set to take place this year at Appleby College the night of June 2. Longo's has been the food sponsor for the event since its inception five years ago. And every year that commitment grows, as does the event. "It's a lot of food. This year they'll donate all the food for more than 2,500 people," said Canadian Cancer Society, Oakville Unit president Joan Gibb. In fact, Oakville's event has the rare distinction of being one of the few Relays for Life that provides food to participants at no charge thanks to Longo's -- and the growing event will see a central food location set up in the arena for the relay and Longo's will also provide servers. Longo's will supply water for the relay -- last year a tractor-trailer filled with water made its delivery to the event. It will also feed those attending dinner, and breakfast. It's likely well over 3,000 will be on hand for the barbecue dinner June 2, and fewer for breakfast the morning of June 3. "We're thrilled to participate. It's very important to our family," said Gay. "It's a great community event, a terrific cause and something that has touched our family," said Anthony. "Not only personally, but our extended family, too," added Gay. As the couple ask their young relatives how hockey is going and check in on their busy lives, it's evident that the Longo's philosophy of family values and giving back to the community to foster those values is at work at both work and home for the grocery store operators. "It's important for us to give back to the community. We have a long history of doing that not only in Oakville, but all the communities in which we operate," said Anthony. Gay and Anthony have three children, Thomas, 17, Dayna, 12 and Daniel, 11. They make their home in Mississauga. Gay was just a new mom for the third time, with Daniel only 15 months old, when one July day she was diagnosed with breast cancer. "I found the lumps myself," said Gay of several tumors discovered that were the size of golf balls. What followed for the mother of three was aggressive chemotherapy and radiation, not to mention surgery. Gay said her cancer was in late Stage 2 and had gone into her lymph nodes. "I'd just had a baby. News like that devastates you," said Gay. "You start thinking what could happen in your life. Your kids could have no mother. You worry for your husband as well. He could lose his wife, his spouse. It's just a snowball effect, it affects your whole home life," said Gay. "It's scary because there are so many unknowns, so many variables," said Anthony. Asked how he handled it, Anthony said, "In my typical way, I gathered all the facts, just like in business, so I would understand what to do next. As for your family, it forces you to reprioritize and it makes business seem like a piece of cake compared to dealing with that. "There are a lot of decisions, and the decisions could mean life and death," he said. In comparison, the logistics of providing the food for the relay for life is simple. Longo's itself donates buns, fruit, vegetables, salads and more. Its suppliers also pitch in on their behalf, Penny and David Chapman are supplying the Chapman's ice cream, for example. "There's lots of vendor support. Our suppliers contribute product as well," said Gay, while Anthony noted Longo's donations are co-ordinated through Longo's distribution centre, not specifically the Oakville store. According to Gibb, this year marks a number of celebrations for Longo's, the Longos and the relay. It's Longo's 50th anniversary as a business, Gay's 10th year as a survivor, the relay's fifth anniversary and the first time Gay and Anthony are honourary co-chairs of the event. "It's Gay's 10th year as a survivor. How important is that?" said Gibb quickly targeting the most significant anniversary when it comes See Long-time page 4 MAZDA3 SEDAN GX NO SECURITY DEPOSIT 2006 $ PER MONTH/48 MONTHS WITH $2,195 DOWN PAYMENT 229* 5.9% 0% ­ OR ­ ­ AT ­ APR LEASE FROM 1291 SPEERS ROAD 905.827.4242 (North side between 3rd & 4th Line) · www.oakvillemazda.com email: info@oakvillemazda.com PURCHASE FINANCING FOR 24 MONTHS See Oakville Mazda for details.