Knights Honor Rosemary Champagne in Relay for Life Fund Raiser

Starting her professional career as a hairdresser in 1978, Rosemary Champagne, owner of Hair Expo in Southington, could hardly have imagined the unexpected and often tortuous roads her life was to take. Neither would she have believed that, years later, she would author a book telling her story, “My Detour on Life’s Highway”, now in its second and updated edition.

Rosemary is a 28-year survivor of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a person of courage and determination who for years has been a leader in the perennial fight against cancer in Southington’s Relay for Life.

Champagne has been sustained by a strong faith in God, leading-edge medical science, the hope and support of others, a steadfast positive outlook and a life partner, her husband, Jim, who has been her rock in the ups and downs of life.

Rosemary and Jim Champagne will be honored by the Southington Knights of Columbus at an dinner-dance and evening of entertainment on Friday, May 11 at the Elks Club starting at 6:45 pm. Proceeds will be donated to Relay for Life of Southington in its ongoing fight against cancer. Tickets are available by calling event chairperson, William Shatas, at 203-235-4155.

But there is much more to the Champagne story. During the first eleven years following Rosemary’s diagnosis she endured the distress-ridden and life-saving throes of chemotherapy and radiation.  Later, she was diagnosed with large cell lymphoma, a rapidly growing cancer. She opted in favor of being one of the early Stem Cell transplant patients at Yale New Haven Hospital. Her Stem Cell transplant required her to undergo heavy dose chemotherapy and radiation therapy. As a result, the large cell lymphoma was halted and destroyed. Her low grade lymphoma still acts up on occasion and with her body no longer responding well to chemo, Champagne is now listed for a transplant.

Rosemary has not been the sole beneficiary of the care and treatment she has received. She was proactively involved with Relay For Life from the first event with about 15 tents and hosted around 200 people. Later she took on the responsibility of Relay Chairperson for nine years. Jim Champagne was also involved from the beginning and has remained with this now town-wide annual event in a variety of capacities wherever help was needed. The Southington Relay For Life has raised over one million dollars since 1998. Jim is also in his fifth year of service to the town as Festival Coordinator of the Apple Harvest Festival. Having served her final year as chairperson in 2011, Rosemary remains involved as Chairperson Emeritus and gives her time as a mentor to the many involved in the Southington Relay For Life. Rosemary believes that everything in life has a purpose and meaning within a divine plan. Her own story exemplifies that,not only because of her personal survival, but in its having opened a journey to her that enabled her to meet and help others understand, work through and cope with a dreaded disease with positive courage and purpose. She points out that Relay for Life is not just about the money it raises for important research and to help those who need it, but for the very personal gift it provides in drawing us closer and to other members of the human family who suffer, needing loving hope, help and peace of mind.