As the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life have been major forces in Shawna’s life, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition asked the Society for help in telling her story. Consequently, with only a week’s notice, Society Great Lakes volunteers and staff and the national Relay For Life Business Unit coordinated five consecutive 24-hour Relay events in honor of the week-long home build out, collectively called “Extreme Relay For Life in Spencer County”. Society volunteers from 18 different Relay For Life events across southern Indiana partook in the event, for a total of more than 5,000 people-including the show’s cast and crew, who walked laps in between the building projects. The population of St. Meinrad itself is only 800 people.

Footage from these Relay events, including the traditional Relay For Life Ceremony of Hope luminaria service, will be featured in the program. Shawna's new home will also feature Relay commemorative items.

NHO is pitching the program to writers of “best bets/ what’s on tonight” television columns at national print media outlets in hopes of driving viewership, as well as to People magazine. The press release included in the CML link below has been developed for Divisions to use for pitching local and regional media. Per Shawna's contract with ABC, she will be available for interviews following the initial Nov. 12 air date.

For more information on Shawna's story, the filming, and “Extreme Relay For Life in Spencer County”, please see the template press release, the FAQ prepared for volunteers interested in participating in the event, a recent article covering the event from Indiana, and photos of the episode filming itself and of Shawna at Celebration on the Hill.

For more information, please visit a special page on cancer.org (cancer.org/extrememakeover) that will be posted early next week, or contact Karen Becker, national communications director, Relay For Life Business Unit.