Taking first steps in Relay for Life

Last month marked a decade of remission from leukemia for Krisztina Scheeff, and she is celebrating today by painting the town purple.

Co-chairing the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life — an overnight event designed to celebrate cancer survival and lament loss — Scheeff and many other volunteers will help launch the May 19 and 20 relay with Paint Our Town Purple Day today.

“Purple is vibrant, happy and powerful, and as the signature color for Relay for Life, it is about sharing the hope of cancer survivors and celebrating life,” Scheeff said. “We’re trying to spread love all across the community and invite everyone to come join our fight because there will be a cure for cancer one day.”

In addition to encouraging locals to wear purple clothes, purchase purple wristbands and decorate their homes and businesses with purple balloons and ribbons, purple banners will hang throughout Newport Beach, and American Cancer Society representatives will cruise around the county in a purple Hummer limousine, distributing information about the event and cancer along the way.

Marking his fourth year participating in Relay for Life, Phil Newberg of Newport Beach plans to join about 50 other teams as they circle the track at Newport Harbor High School later this month to raise money for cancer research.

But for the adventure-seeking psychologist — known to his friends as Dr. Phil — it is also about the challenge.

As a one-man team, the Solo Slogger, Newberg plans to walk and run the course for the entirety of the 24-hour community event.

Last year, he completed about 80 miles in that time, earning a certificate for the most distance covered.

“There are a lot of people that I’ve admired throughout my life — like Thomas Edison and Eleanor Roosevelt — who worked around the clock with little sleep,” said Newberg, who averages about four hours per night. “I am just too active, too energetic and too excited about what I’m doing to sleep.”

After losing a close friend to prostate cancer and supporting another friend as he endures the same disease, Newberg — who admits to being a senior citizen though he feels like an 18-year-old — also runs for them.

“I’d run clear across the United States if I knew I could save them from cancer,” he said. “It would just take time.”

The Relay for Life Hummer is scheduled to stop at John Wayne Airport about 6 p.m. today, heading afterward for South Coast Plaza, and later to Avila’s El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant on Newport Boulevard for Taco Tuesday festivities about 8 p.m. For more Paint Our Town Purple Day suggestions, go to www.paintourtownpurple.org.