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Photo: from left to right Sharon Bottomley, Cindy Stephens Pugh, Tracie Dickson, Toby Smart, Debra Burgess, and last Ed Shively. Courtesy of Doug Bowles.

 More than 15 years ago, Tracie Dickson and Marian McConnell were "bosom buddies" surviving breast cancer together. They both work at the Veterans Administration Hospital and participated in the first year of Relay for Life.

"And after that first year of the relay, Marian said ‘I think next year if we're both still living, we need to come up with a team that's comprised of all survivors," Dickson said.

They survived, and the next year, Dickson took the list of folks who fought the battle to walk the first lap of the event, called them, and inquired if they might want to be on an all-survivor team. Even though McConnell isn't a frequent participant anymore, her idea has grown into a living, breathing team.

Little by little, and "as it sort of evolved over the years, some people came and others left ... we just have a core group of probably 15 people, and different people different years participate," said Dickson. She said one year, they had to split into two teams. "And even now, if the Cancer Society hears of a survivor that wants to be on an all-survivor team, they'll call me."

Around eight folks are definitely going to be at the event this year, and it's the first year they won't have their very ironic shelter - a green funeral home tent from Evergreen Cemetery in Roanoke County.

"It's sort of a running joke - here we are an all-survivor team and using a cemetery tent," she said. But with all jokes aside, the networking and support is what keeps Dickson calling everyone to see who can make it for the year.

"I think for all of us, once you have a diagnosis of cancer, they always refer to a five-year survivor, and of course I'm well past that now ... Once you get past 5 years, you get a little sigh of relief, but ... I don't think you ever get over the diagnosis of cancer," she said.

Team members include co-workers from the VA, patients from the VA, and people who learned about the all-survivor team at the actual relay.

"I think we're all good support for each other. There's a connection there, a bond, and we're all friends even though we don't all see each other every day. And Tracie's kind of the supreme leader for the rest of the group and a real motivator for the rest of the team," said doctor Tom Martin, the hospital's Chief of Medicine.

After he started recovering from thyroid cancer, Dickson told him the date and the time to be at Salem Relay for Life, and he's been there going on seven or eight years.

"Its been sort of a little bit of a ministry for me," she said. "Everybody sort of feels the same feelings in the beginning [of battling cancer]..." That's where "The Determinators" namesake comes in.

"It was just sort of a motto from the beginning ... because we're determined to beat cancer" Dickson said.

The Determinators will be walking in the survivor lap at the Salem Relay for Life Friday June 19.