CHRISTIANSBURG – A longtime community advocate passed away earlier this week.
Donna Christian had gained attention as the chair of the Montgomery County Relay for Life, and the group’s fundraising committee remembered her just a few days after her reported death.
The group had thought about cancelling their meeting and fundraising at Sandro’s Italian restaurant in Christiansburg. Instead, they felt it should continue as a way to honor Christian.
In a Facebook post, the group said:
“Donna was a fierce advocate in the fight against cancer. A long time Relayer, her passion for the American Cancer Society’s mission started after losing her mother many years ago. In the years since, her reasons to Relay grew as she developed relationships in the community, she proudly called home with people whose lives had been affected by cancer.
“What should have been an otherwise happy occasion turned into a somber evening where we took the opportunity to remember our dearly departed friend. Despite our initial reaction to cancel, we knew that the best way to honor Donna was to press onward. It was as if we could hear the words we heard her say so many times: Cancer doesn’t stop, and neither will we.”
Christian, who was a longtime Blacksburg insurance agent, had chaired the local relay group for nearly eight years, organizing the annual event that was typically held at the Christiansburg Middle School.
News Messenger staff report
